The Swedish Chemicals Agency at the UN Ocean Conference

The Swedish Chemicals Agency will participate in the United Nations Ocean Conference next week. The conference supports the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14): Sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources. The conference aims to result in agreements and voluntary commitments in order to reach the goal.

One of the aims is to reduce marine pollution and one important issue is preventing hazardous substances from reaching the oceans. Hazardous substances emitted into soils, water, air and sewers may reach the ocean and cause damage to marine organisms. They can also harm people that eat contaminated food from the sea.

- The most effective way to protect the oceans from hazardous chemical substances is to solve the problem at the source by preventive chemicals control, says Helena Parkman from The Swedish Chemicals Agency. We are all responsible for the oceans and therefore all countries need to practise sound chemicals control, that is in the form of legislation and enforcement.

The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management will arrange a side event, co-hosted by the Swedish Chemicals Agency. The side event will focus on the importance of a coordinated and holistic governance and management of resource flows from “Source to Sea” in order to reach the sustainable development goals. Among the speakers are the Swedish Minister of Environment, Karolina Skog; Germanys Federal Minister for Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Dr. Barbara Hendricks; and the Republic of Seychelles, Minister of Environment, Energy & Climate Change, Didier Dogley.

Facts

The UN Ocean Conference is the first conference about the environment of the oceans. It is co-hosted by Sweden and Fiji. It takes place in New York, 5-9 June 2017.

The Sustainable Development Goal number 14 is about the oceans. It reads: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Follow the conference in social media #SaveOurOcean External link.

Read more

The Ocean Conference External link.

Sustainable Development Goal 14 External link.

Side event by the The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management External link.