Preserving Community’s Environmental Interests in a Meta-Ocean Governance Framework towards Sustainable Development Goal 14: A Mechanism of Promoting Coordination between Institutions Responsible for Curbing Marine Pollution

Abstract

The United Nations has recently recognised the global community’s environmental interests in ocean governance through the Sustainable Development Goal 14. The marine environmental protection targets stand in need of rejuvenating international environmental law, which fosters interconnection between oceans, climate, and terrestrial ecosystems. The existing literature on this aspect of ocean governance, however, is segregated and lacks an ecosystem-based approach. Therefore, a comprehensive review of the literature on ocean governance with an ecosystem-based approach becomes essential and is conducted through this research. This research has proposed that ocean governance programmes and plans need to be re-arranged under established legal frameworks at national and regional levels. Such a challenge can be addressed by taking the elements of governance provided by the list of targets of sustainable development goals. This research has facilitated the given hypothesis via a meta-ocean-governance framework that incorporates a deliberate regional monitoring system, intergovernmental review, capacity building techniques, national action through strong institutions, scientific decision making, and policy coherence. The idea is to fit the conceptualisation of ocean governance under international environmental law in the existing initiatives within a box of institutions to coordinate and encourage an ecosystem-based approach.

The Development of Floating Nuclear Power Platforms: Special Marine Environmental Risks, Existing Regulatory Dilemmas, and Potential Solutions

“…However, the deployment of FNPPs may pose challenges to the marine environment. The potential release of radioactive materials from FNPPs might have long-term consequences on the ocean, posing risks to the global community's environmental interests in ocean governance [100,101]. An effective international regulatory framework with safety regulations, pollution control mechanisms, regular inspections, prudent environmental impact assessment, cooperative emergency response plans, prompt relief, and adequate compensation is essential in addressing FNPPs' marine environmental challenges, securing the international community's environmental interests in ocean governance.…”

Scoping article: research frontiers on the governance of the Sustainable Development Goals

“…Bexell et al, 2023; Krauss, 2022) or proposals for governance improvements for specific areas (e.g. Zulfiqar and Butt, 2021 for ocean governance).…”

Interconnected principles of ocean governance through science-policy integration under the judgements of the international dispute settlement bodies

“…12 Moreover, following the jurisprudence developed so far, science-policy integration is for the protection of ecosystems, which is an aspect of preserving the marine environment and, thus, is 'not confined to measures directed at controlling marine pollution'. 7 Furthermore, substantive (the rule of law, cooperation, precaution and ecosystembased approach) and procedural principles on protecting the marine environment are encompassed in the UNCLOS. Besides the requirements of national legislation and effective implementation of ocean governance at local levels for marine environmental protection, it is also essential to develop MSR plans as a procedural principle.…”

“…7 Various legal principles and rules that have emerged through the instruments of international environmental law (IEL) contribute to the normative foundations that apply to 'marine biodiversity' and include 'marine environmental protection', ecosystem preservation' and 'conservation and management of fisheries'. 7 In this context, the challenges to IDSBs in the field of ocean governance range from climate change and declining fisheries to marine pollution. 8 Despite these challenges, the momentum for ocean governance for marine environmental protection is maintained by the IDSBs.…”

“…5,6 Based on this interpretation, it may be arguedand isthat the IDSBs have a specific objective of 'preserving marine biodiversity' while observing how the 'marine environment' is degrading. 7 Various legal principles and rules that have emerged through the instruments of international environmental law (IEL) contribute to the normative foundations that apply to 'marine biodiversity' and include 'marine environmental protection', ecosystem preservation' and 'conservation and management of fisheries'. 7 In this context, the challenges to IDSBs in the field of ocean governance range from climate change and declining fisheries to marine pollution.…”