ponedjeljak, 09.05.2022.
The United Nations and its specialised agencies are already
Data are the lifeblood of decision-making and the raw material for accountability. The role of fisheries is particularly profound in many of the world’s poorest communities, where fish are a critical source of protein, essential micronutrients and omega-3 fatty acids. They are also essential for promoting food security, protecting livelihoods and safeguarding broader economic development. The gathering is also a platform to educate all actors about the international legal framework that governs seas and oceans, and the tools and methodologies needed for their sustainable use and conservation. Oil spills continue to devastate the oceans and rivers.Sustaining the integrity of marine ecosystems will require a profound transformation in how humanity views and uses these fragile, finite and irreplaceable resources. While some degree of erosion occurs naturally, human activities, such as the construction of ports and oil production facilities, the damming of rivers and sand mining, are aggravating the danger.One of the most intellectually engaging, politically challenging and personally gratifying periods of my life was the time I spent as an adviser to former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, working with member states and people across the world to articulate the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. I look forward to working with partners everywhere to set people and the planet — including our precious oceans and seas — on a path to a sustainable future. Marine fisheries provide jobs for 300 million people and help meet the nutritional needs of three billion people. That is the object of SDG 14 and all the interrelated Goals. With oceans now near or at the limit of their ability to provide for China Wholesale garden pond water pump human needs and remain viable ecosystems, only the United Nations can mobilise the type of transformative action needed at the global, regional and national level to reverse this trend.
The United Nations and its specialised agencies are already assisting developing countries to work towards the interrelated targets of SDG 14. I also welcome the contribution of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data to fill critical data gaps and ensure that data is accessible and usable. Lagos, in particular, is at a risk of coastal erosion and inundation.First, mobilising high-level leadership and political will and facilitating the creation of partnerships. At this still-early stage in our efforts to seize the agenda’s potential and fulfil its promises, I am deeply honoured to have been asked by current Secretary-General António Guterres to serve as his deputy, and thereby to again serve the world’s people in this essential work.These examples illustrate that the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources goes far beyond the need for mitigation and adaptation to climate impacts. All the challenges to the oceans are of humanity’s making; all can be reversed by our concerted, coordinated action. The forthcoming Ocean Conference, which will take place from June 5 to 9 at the United Nations headquarters in New York, will put a much-needed spotlight on all relevant issues. The key to this work is harmonising economic development and ocean health. It will also be crucial to educate young people about the fragility of the marine environment and its importance for sustainable development. These will be provided by various reports and assessments, such as the forthcoming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report on Oceans and the Cryosphere, and the Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, including Socioeconomic Aspects.Here, too, the situation in Nigeria offers a vivid example of the threat.
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