Question : UN Ocean Conference 2022

(a) whether India has participated in the 2022 UN Ocean Conference held in the recent past at Lisbon;

(b) if so, the details of the issues raised during the said Conference;

(c) the details of the targets in Goal 14 of Sustainable Development;

(d) whether participant countries have shared their progress for bridging the methodology and data gaps on SDG indicators and working towards UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, 2021-2030;

(e) if so, the details in this regard; and

(f) the extent to which India''s progress is better than the other participant countries?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AND EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) Yes sir.

(b) During the UN Ocean Conference, co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal, many of the innate issues of the societies, major structural transformations and common shared solutions that are anchored in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-14 ‘Life Below Water’) were discussed. To mobilize action, the Conference highlighted the need of science-based innovative solutions aimed at starting a new chapter of global ocean action. The solutions for a sustainably managed ocean involve green technology and innovative uses of marine resources. They also include addressing the threats to health, ecology, economy and ocean governance, of ocean - acidification, marine litter and pollution, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and the loss of habitats and biodiversity.

(c) SDG Goal 14 commits Members States to conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources. It focuses on preventing marine pollution, ending illegal and destructive fishing practices, and sustainably managing and protecting marine and coastal ecosystems while increasing scientific knowledge, research, and transfer of marine technology to improve marine health. The progress on these targets made by India are published annually by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

(d) & (e) Yes Sir. All countries have informed about the progress and data gaps on various goals under SDG14 under various targets through National Intervention statements. They have also informed the need for cooperation in exchanging best practices, science based solutions for enhancing conservation of marine ecosystems among the member states.

(f) India has made significant progress on SDG 14 through Ministry of Earth Sciences, Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change & Department of Fisheries in collection of data and information on most of indicators for the targets. The details are published under SDG India Index & Dashboard regularly.