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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS:     

CONSERVE AND SUSTAINABLY USE THE OCEANS, SEAS, AND MARINE RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Can you picture a world without oceans to explore and swim in? 

The ocean is a diversified habitat home to numerous types of creatures. From the tiniest shrimp to the massive blue whale, ocean is a home for them. It is also vital to our life survival as they provide us with water, food, and regulate weather. Ocean employs more than 3 billion people who rely on marine biodiversity for a living. If we do not stop polluting our oceans, severe problems will arise and affect every human and living creature on the earth.

Pollution poses the greatest threat to our planet and future generations' lives. According to the United Nations, an estimated 5 to 12 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean each year. Carbon emissions produced by human activities, like driving cars, are also contributing to ocean's warming and water acidity's rising. This is particularly harmful to sea animals and organisms as the acid may crush their shells and ruin coral reefs.

       

Here are some of the sources of water pollution:

• Spilled oil
• Radioactive waste
• Agriculture industry
• Garbage swept into the sea 
• People throwing their trash anywhere

Water pollution can have severe consequences on the environment, including:

• Soil contamination
• Harm to aquatic life
• Ecosystem disruption

Water pollution can have serious consequences for human health, including:

• Cancer
• Economic costs
• Waterborne diseases
• Reproductive problems

 

Preventing water pollution requires a collective effort of individuals, governments, and businesses. One way to prevent water pollution is reducing the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and chemicals that can harm aquatic life.

Proper disposal of hazardous waste is also important to prevent water pollution. Governments must regulate and enforce laws that prohibit the discharge of harmful pollutants into water bodies, while individuals can engage in eco-friendly practices such as recycling, using eco-friendly products, and conserving water.

 

Here are some of the goal targets:

14.1. By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.

14.2. 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.

14.3. Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels.

14.4. 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.

14.5. By 2020, conserve at least 10% of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information.

For extra information, let's watch this video together!