The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2022 started on 5 July and will be taking place until 15 July 2022 under the auspices of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The HLPF is the central United Nations platform for the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the global level. [1] The theme for the 2022 HLPF is “Building back better from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. The HLPF 2022 focuses on the review of SDG 4 on quality education, SDG 5 on gender equality, SDG 14 on life below water, SDG 15 on life on land, and SDG 17 on partnerships for the Goals. The high-level segment of the Council will conclude with a final day on 18 July 2022.
The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022 provides a global overview of progress on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, using the latest available data and estimates. It highlights the severity and magnitude of the challenges before us. The confluence of crises, dominated by COVID-19, climate change, and conflicts, are creating spin-off impacts on food and nutrition, health, education, the environment, and peace and security, and affecting all the SDGs. For SDG 14, which aims to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development, the report indicates that combating the decline in ocean health requires intensified protection efforts and the adoption of solutions for a sustainable blue economy. This includes a “source-to-sea” approach that directly addresses the links between land, water, delta, estuary, coast, nearshore and ocean ecosystems in support of holistic natural resources management and economic development. [2]
On 11 July, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (IOC-UNESCO) called on the UN High-Level Sustainable Development Forum to boost knowledge-led actions for the ocean. [3]
Wish to know more about the ocean?
- Dive into the Map of the Week to get a better understanding of the ocean and visualise mean under water depth in the European region;
- Read IOC-UNESCO’s policy brief detailing the Ocean Decade’s contribution to delivering on the SDGs;
- Sign up to an interactive platform where you can network and get involved in the Ocean Decade community by joining the Global Stakeholder Forum.
The data in this map are provided by EMODnet.
[2] https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2022/
[3] https://www.oceandecade.org/news/unesco-calls-on-un-high-level-sustainable-development-forum-to-boost-knowledge-led-actions-for-the-ocean/