Healthy Ocean

The members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have been continuously involved in achieving a balanced outcome in the area of fisheries subsidies negotiations in 2018. The discussions have been ongoing and will continue in 2019. According to the 11th Ministerial Conference decision of the WTO, members are committed towards securing a deal in 2019. There are various aspects of fisheries subsidies that members of the WTO are presently assessing.

The Ocean Cities Snapshot for Policy-makers serves as a companion document to the Ocean Cities Regional Policy Guide. The Ocean Cities concept is an integrated policy approach for ocean-focused and climate-responsive urban development strategies, with a focus on urban areas in Pacific island developing States. Ocean Cities are where urban landscapes and seascapes meet, where built and natural environments near coastlines interface and where human behaviour and urban development have profound impacts on both terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

The Ocean Cities concept is an integrated policy approach for ocean-focused and climate-responsive urban development strategies, with a focus on urban areas in Pacific island developing States. Ocean Cities are where urban landscapes and seascapes meet, where built and natural environments near coastlines interface and where human behaviour and urban development have profound impacts on both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Ocean Cities are at the forefront of the climate change consequences, the urbanization challenges and other development pressures.

At UNESCO, we take this issue very seriously. With its World Network of Biosphere Reserves, as well as its capacities in the Natural Sciences, Education and Youth Mobilization, UNESCO is capable of playing a substantial role in addressing the problem. The Organization has a clear mandate in particular in the Natural Sciences, as well as in Education, with a view to the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. 

This brochure showcases beautiful imagery from landscapes, Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks throughout the region; and features ongoing environmental projects and research initiatives aimed at enhancing scientific knowledge for sustainable human living in Asia-Pacific. Natural Sciences at UNESCO Bangkok supports the six cluster countries including: Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

The Humans of MY World (HOMY) initiative showcases personal testimonies from around the world on why the SDGs matter to people and their communities. Inspired by “Humans of New York”, HOMY reveals the individual impact in achieving the SDGs. To learn more, click here. 

Below is a collection of select stories and blogs from the framework of HOMY. 

This report presents the results of a survey of 15 developing countries in Asia and the Pacific regarding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 12, 14, and 15.

ADB, in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and UN Environment, held a Knowledge Sharing Workshop on Strengthening the Environment Dimensions of the SDGs in Asia and the Pacific on 21–22 February 2018, in Bangkok, Thailand.

This Compendium provides a review of available tools related to the integration of environment into policy and planning in order to deliver sustainable development in the Asia and Pacific region. In the context of this task, the term ‘tools’ is interpreted broadly in order to ensure that as wide a range of potential tools and processes as possible is considered that could be used to integrate the environmental considerations of sustainable development into the Policy Cycle.

Sustainable Development Goal 14 aims to aims to conserve and sustainably use the ocean, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. The increasingly adverse impacts of climate change -including ocean acidification-, overfishing and marine pollution are jeopardizing recent gains in protecting the ocean. Against this backdrop, ESCAP resolution E/ESCAP/RES/72/9 requested the secretariat, inter alia, to undertake an assessment of capacity development needs of the countries in Asia and the Pacific for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14.