ISA Voluntary Commitments to support the implementation of SDG 14

At the 2017 United Nations Ocean Conference in New York, ISA announced seven Voluntary Commitments to advance Sustainable Development Goal 14: conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

At the 2022 United Nations Ocean Conference in Portugal, ISA reaffirmed its 2017 commitments and registered two new commitments on “Supporting ocean economies of LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS” and “Promoting deep-sea literacy”.

Voluntary Commitments pledged by ISA address many of the SDGs, and range from enhancing the role of women in marine scientific research to promoting emerging ocean economies for developing States, in close cooperation with participating countries, to benefit fully from the sustainable development of deep-seabed resources and increased participation in marine scientific research projects carried out in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

All activities implemented under each Voluntary Commitment are in line with the mandate assigned to ISA by UNCLOS and the 1994 Agreement and reflect strategic priorities endorsed by ISA members through the ISA Strategic Plan and High-Level Action for 2019-2023, the ISA Action Plan for Marine Scientific Research in support of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and the ISA Capacity Development Strategy.