UN SDG 14 on Marine Biodiversity shows significant progress in Brazil, Belize and Seychelles

Belize, Brazil and Seychelles have announced to help protect at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water areas and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas.

Belize, Brazil and Seychelles have announced commitments to increase efforts to protect marine biodiversity, in line with global efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 14 and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Aichi Target 11 protecting at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water areas and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas.

No-takes zones in Belize are set to be expanded from 3 percent to over 10 percent by the end of this year, Belize announced at World Ocean Summit. These zones are basically Marine Protected Areas (MPA) that do not allow fishing, mining, drilling or any other activities that could negatively affect or harm the protected area.

Belize Fisheries Administrator Beverly Wade stressed that “expanding the no-take zones and promoting sustainable fishing is critical for Belize to achieve its biodiversity objectives while also providing “a source of healthy nutrition and food security and jobs.”

Belize also has a National Secure Fishing Rights programme in place and this effort of Belize will complement the programme and help to protect marine habitats.

Brazil also announced plans to preserve its biodiversity by creating 2 vast biodiversity areas, which would safeguard a quarter of the Country’s oceans. Brazil’s step to protect its biodiversity will help the country progress towards the SDGs, particularly SDG 14 and Aichi Target 11.

Seychelles also announced 2 MPAs in an innovative “debt-for-conservation” deal by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in collaboration with private investors and foundations, UN Development Programme (UNDP), governments and The Global Environment Facility (GEF).

One of the MPA is around islands of the Aldabra Group and restricts nearly all human activities. Second MPA aims at protecting deep waters between Amirantes Group and Fortune Bank.