the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982) has special relevance, as it constitutes the legal
instrument that defines and regulates the different jurisdictional concepts and the
access of states to the sea. Regionally, the Mediterranean Action Plan (1975) and the
Barcelona Convention (1976) and its various protocols (among them the Protocol on
Biological Diversity and Specially Protected Areas (1995) and the Protocol on
Integrated Management of Coastal Zones (2008)) have a special impact on this
matter (spatial planning) and in particular with regard to cooperation between coastal
states (cross-border dimension of planning plans).
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations
member states in 2015, comprises a collection of 17 global goals set and are
envisioned as the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.
They address the global challenges we face, including those related to ocean,
climate, environmental degradation, clean energy, responsible production and consumption, and international partnerships. The goals are broad and interdependent,
yet each has a separate list of targets to achieve. Several nations’ governments have
begun to incorporate sustainable development in their planning and policy and have
found great legitimacy and ownership.
The SDG 14 defined as “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and
marine resources for sustainable development” provides for the first time ever an
opportunity to step up action on individual ocean-related issues and expand the
profile of the ocean in the development agenda. This standalone SDG for the ocean
summarized more than 500 proposals submitted from highly diverse stakeholders,
which were framing in a number of targets to preserve and restore life-sustaining
functions of the ocean and the role of ocean resources in providing a basis for human
and economic development. As the SDGs are intended to pursue transformational
change, they include aspirational and intentionally broad elements, and therefore,
targets must be viewed not only individually but also in relation to each other SDG
(Valdés 2017).
The concept of blue growth came out of Rio+20, and FAO uses this term to
emphasize the need for growth particularly in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
The goals of the BGI are to maximize economic and social benefits while minimizing environmental degradation from these sectors (FAO 2014). These goals are
closely aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. While there
are no national obligations and approaches remain flexible for different national and
regional realities, the BGI is aligned with other FAO regulations such as the Code of
Conduct for Responsible Fisheries to stop illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU)
fishing (FAO 2001).
The planning of the maritime space and the management and monitoring of the
environmental status of the marine environment are reaching further development in
the European Union framework and within its integrated maritime policy (IMP)
(published by the European Commission in 2007) where maritime spatial planning
together with blue growth, marine data and knowledge, integrated maritime surveillance, and watershed strategies constitutes the five main policies that IMP encompasses and coordinates.
804
L. Valdés et al.
instrument that defines and regulates the different jurisdictional concepts and the
access of states to the sea. Regionally, the Mediterranean Action Plan (1975) and the
Barcelona Convention (1976) and its various protocols (among them the Protocol on
Biological Diversity and Specially Protected Areas (1995) and the Protocol on
Integrated Management of Coastal Zones (2008)) have a special impact on this
matter (spatial planning) and in particular with regard to cooperation between coastal
states (cross-border dimension of planning plans).
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations
member states in 2015, comprises a collection of 17 global goals set and are
envisioned as the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.
They address the global challenges we face, including those related to ocean,
climate, environmental degradation, clean energy, responsible production and consumption, and international partnerships. The goals are broad and interdependent,
yet each has a separate list of targets to achieve. Several nations’ governments have
begun to incorporate sustainable development in their planning and policy and have
found great legitimacy and ownership.
The SDG 14 defined as “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and
marine resources for sustainable development” provides for the first time ever an
opportunity to step up action on individual ocean-related issues and expand the
profile of the ocean in the development agenda. This standalone SDG for the ocean
summarized more than 500 proposals submitted from highly diverse stakeholders,
which were framing in a number of targets to preserve and restore life-sustaining
functions of the ocean and the role of ocean resources in providing a basis for human
and economic development. As the SDGs are intended to pursue transformational
change, they include aspirational and intentionally broad elements, and therefore,
targets must be viewed not only individually but also in relation to each other SDG
(Valdés 2017).
The concept of blue growth came out of Rio+20, and FAO uses this term to
emphasize the need for growth particularly in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
The goals of the BGI are to maximize economic and social benefits while minimizing environmental degradation from these sectors (FAO 2014). These goals are
closely aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. While there
are no national obligations and approaches remain flexible for different national and
regional realities, the BGI is aligned with other FAO regulations such as the Code of
Conduct for Responsible Fisheries to stop illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU)
fishing (FAO 2001).
The planning of the maritime space and the management and monitoring of the
environmental status of the marine environment are reaching further development in
the European Union framework and within its integrated maritime policy (IMP)
(published by the European Commission in 2007) where maritime spatial planning
together with blue growth, marine data and knowledge, integrated maritime surveillance, and watershed strategies constitutes the five main policies that IMP encompasses and coordinates.
804
L. Valdés et al.