The UN Ocean Conference – June 2017, Guidance to the ENVI Committee of the European Parliament

The high-level United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development will be convened at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 5 to 9 June 2017, coinciding with World Oceans Day, to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14.

This briefing, provided to the European Parliament in preparation for the UN Ocean Conference takes into account discussions and developments until March 2017. The briefing includes:

+ an overview of the UN 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14)
+ a description of the Ocean Conference, including the Preparatory Meeting held in February 2017 and other issues leading up to the Conference
+ the position of governments and stakeholders in ocean use and governance
+ the role of the EU and its current marine policies, actors and bodies
+ a short conclusion and set of recommendations.

The EU has identified priorities as: regional cooperation; addressing pollution, including marine litter; the development of the maritime economy; fisheries, overfishing and illegal and unregulated fishing; research capacity and addressing knowledge gaps; and climate change.

UN: Ocean Conference, New York, 5-9 June 2017 https://oceanconference.un.org/

European Commission: DG Communication: STATEMENT/17/1561, 08.06.17: Joint Statement on the occasion of World Oceans Day http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-17-1561_en.htm

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