At the 3rd UN Ocean Conference, in a week full of global political commitments for ocean action, a coalition of eight mayors and 22 local leaders from 12 countries and territories met to share and highlight the role of local action for UN Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water (SDG 14). Following their meeting, the local leaders released the following statement:
“The effective protection and conservation of our ocean will not be possible without dedicated investment in local leadership and effective local coastal governance. Our inclusion in decision making in setting national targets, as well as their financing, design and implementation, is critical for success. National leaders and funders at the UN Ocean Conference must:
- Recognize the critical role of local leaders and customary authorities in advancing solutions to achieve SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 14. National priorities must be co-developed through the integration of local & indigenous knowledge and needs, and subsequently implemented through local government, civil society, and community actions.
- Integrate and prioritize effective and collaborative local governance, including coordination across national and local policy targets. Policy can create incentives for positive change and stewardship, when local needs are not just considered but prioritized.
- Develop diverse, long-term financing streams and build local capacity to access, absorb & utilize funding across local governments, civil society, and frontline communities.
- Build and foster collaborative partnerships to ensure alignment across scales of governance including national governments, municipalities, coastal communities, and fisherfolk.
- Facilitate local access to data for science-based decision making and the implementation of national ocean and climate targets. A combination of traditional knowledge and scientific data is required for setting appropriate local targets, planning on-ground implementation using best practices and subsequent monitoring and evaluation.
- Prioritize peer to peer learning and exchange at national and international levels. Local leaders & customary authorities need a space to identify commonalities, share successes, learn from previous mistakes, and inspire each other.
- Invest in trust-building and tolerate risk. Shared implementation across levels of governance and civil society fosters confidence, allowing us to achieve ambitious targets that build resilient communities and ecosystems in the face of unprecedented change.”
“Our municipality is deeply committed to balancing the conservation of our precious mangroves and marine ecosystems with the essential economic and cultural needs of our people. This commitment is embodied in our 62,035-hectare (153,290-acre) marine protected area, a testament to genuine community-led conservation, where local members guide all decisions and management efforts. Despite this, we face the harsh reality of declining fish and shellfish stocks, compounded by population growth and illegal activities. Therefore, consistent monitoring and rigorous enforcement are essential to the continued health and productivity of our protected area.” – Mayor Francisco Queiroz de Oliveira, Augusto Corrêa, Pará, Brazil
“The Muna district in Southwest Sulawesi has abundant marine resources, including vast coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds. But this bounty faces significant degradation from human activities and climate change, leading to declining fish stocks and harder lives for our fishers. Recognizing that local governments often lack direct authority over marine areas, Muna has taken a proactive, community-led approach, empowering local communities to manage and protect their fisheries and ecosystems. Our efforts, including the new Coastal Village Head Partnership that pools resources for patrols and surveillance, are not just policy but real, on-the-ground action, contributing to national and global 30×30 targets and inspiring other districts to embrace a sustainable and resilient future where ocean health and community well-being go hand in hand.” – Mayor Bachrun Labuta, Bupati, Muna District, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia
The workshop “Accelerating Local Action for SDG14” was organized at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference by Rare, the Global Island Partnership, Coastal 500, Local2030 Islands Network, and Bloomberg Philanthropies. We thank the local leaders from Brazil, the Canary Islands, the Cook Islands, Guatemala, Hawai‘i, Honduras, India, Indonesia, New Caledonia, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Tunisia who offered their time, energy and expertise to the development of this statement.