"Healthy oceans and seas are essential to human existence and life on Earth. They cover 70 per cent of the planet and provide food, energy and water. The ocean absorbs around one quarter of the world’s annual carbon dioxide emissions, thereby mitigating climate change and alleviating its impacts."
—United Nations (un.org)
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals—adopted by all United Nations member states—serve as a blueprint to protect the planet and improve the lives of all people, with no one left behind.
Sustainable Development Goal or SDG 14 outlines ways to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, sea, and marine resources.
The United Nations established targets for achieving and measuring progress towards SDG 14 including:
By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.
Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels.
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,
Explore place-based stories, created with ArcGIS StoryMaps, that highlight the critical role of our oceans, sea, and marine resources and several threats to those waters.
Until recently, ocean scientists lacked the tools and resources to pursue seabed mapping at scale. But thanks to rapid advances in mapping technology, and a growing recognition of the seabed’s importance, a comprehensive, high-resolution map of the seabed is within reach.
Get hands-on experience with SDG 14 geospatial data through Esri learning materials. Then build your storytelling skills with ArcGIS StoryMaps tutorials, for beginners and beyond.
