Life Below Water
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
Goal 14 addresses marine pollution, protection and restoration of marine ecosystems, ocean acidification, sustainable fisheries, conservation, harmful subsidies, economic benefits for small island and least developed states, marine science and international ocean law.
What Goal 14 covers
N4SF groups the main policy areas from the official UN targets into this diagram for easier reading.
Goal 14 target list
Below are the United Nations targets for SDG 14.
By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics
By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation
By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets
Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"
Global goals become practical through local decisions.
The SDGs overlap across local housing, infrastructure, public services, environmental quality, economic opportunity and community participation. A single neighborhood decision can relate to several goals at the same time.
United Nations materials: N4SF uses the official SDG icons in accordance with United Nations guidance. The United Nations has not approved or endorsed this N4SF content, and it does not represent the views of the United Nations, its officials or Member States.