Concerns over the health of oceans and their ecosystems have enabled the adoption for the first time of UNCTAD’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) exclusively dedicated to the oceans: SDG 14. This goal commits UN Member States “to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”. The oceans economy has been defined as a vehicle toward a greener and more sustainable and inclusive economic paths on the marine and coastal environment.
In this context, UNCTAD organised an international seminar- held in Geneva in 10-12 May 2016- with the following objectives: increase the understanding of the concept of the oceans economy and its close links with trade; examine how international trade in goods and services, as mediated by internationally agreed rules, regulations and trade policy, can better support the advancement of SDG 14 and other related goals, and; underscore the strong inter-sectoral interdependencies of ocean-based sectors and related implications for strategically coordinated policies.
PortEconomics member Jean-Paul Rodrigue gave a presentation on the strategic importance of maritime clusters in the ocean economy and his interesting presentation on blue economy can be downloaded here.
