Sustainable Development Goals
Goal 14: Life Below Water
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources
Facts:
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Oceans cover three quarters of the Earth’s surface, contain 97 per cent of the Earth’s water,
and represent 99 per cent of the living space on the planet by volume
Over three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods
Globally, the market value of marine and coastal resources and industries is estimated at $3
trillion per year or about 5 per cent of global GDP
Oceans contain nearly 200,000 identified species, but actual numbers may lie in the millions
Oceans absorb about 30 per cent of carbon dioxide produced by humans, buffering the
impacts of global warming
Oceans serve as the world’s largest source of protein, with more than 3 billion people
depending on the oceans as their primary source of protein
Marine fisheries directly or indirectly employ over 200 million people
Subsidies for fishing are contributing to the rapid depletion of many fish species and are
preventing efforts to save and restore global fisheries and related jobs, causing ocean
fisheries to generate US$ 50 billion less per year than they could
As much as 40 per cent of the world oceans are heavily affected by human activities,
including pollution, depleted fisheries, and loss of coastal habitats
Ref:www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/oceans
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