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G20 priority: oceans and coasts
Solidarity Equality Sustainability
OCEANS
AND
COASTS
"MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING (MSP) OFFERS AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO IMPROVING THE RATIONAL PLANNING, MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE OF THE OCEAN SPACE AND MARINE RESOURCES.
"
MSP improves decision-making and enables the co-existence of different human activities while protecting the environment. The outcomes on MSP from the Brazilian G20 Presidency include the development of a toolkit to support countries in the development of MSP as a tool to best manage marine areas. It may be imperative to build on what is achieved to share global experiences that would improve the developed toolkit to adapt to various unique socio-economic circumstances, including from, for, and in developing countries. Therefore, the G20 may be a platform to exchange best practise in establishing marine area plans and marine protected areas. In addition, the ‘G20 high-level principles for sustainable and resilient blue/ocean-based economies' adopted under the Indian G20 Presidency in 2023 may be of relevance for the MSP processes
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
i.
Best practices on the development of comprehensive MSP processes.
ii.
Identify capacity gaps or needs and interventions to improve implementation of MSP
iii.
Development of a guidance tool for the approach to spatial management system for marine areas planning.
"PLASTIC POLLUTION POSES A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO COASTAL AND MARINE ENVIRONMENTS, AFFECTING MARINE LIFE, HUMAN HEALTH, AND ECONOMIES.
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SUB-PRIORITY : ADDRESSING MARINE PLASTIC POLLUTION
International efforts are underway to adopt a legally binding global agreement to tackle plastic pollution, including its impact on marine environments. The goal is to address the entire lifecycle of plastics, with completion expected by the end of 2024. SHERPA TRACK | ECSWG Working Group 17 G20 SOUTH AFRICA 2025. A specific focus is on abandoned, discarded, and lost fishing gear (ADLFG), which is primarily plastic and causes environmental harm through entanglement, "ghost fishing," and damage to the seafloor. ADLFG also contributes to the spread of invasive species and adds to the microplastic problem. Additionally, plastic waste from ships remains a key source of marine pollution despite international regulations, such as the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), which require governments to ensure proper disposal facilities at ports. Effective implementation of these rules is essential to reduce plastic pollution from maritime sources.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
i.
Sharing best practices, scientific research, and technologies on management of marine plastic pollution.
ii.
Improved understanding of plastic losses and leakage from abandoned, discarded and lost fishing gear (ADLFG) and measures (practical and policybased) to address ADLFG.
iii.
Improved management of plastic waste from ships, especially in commercial harbours
iv.
Strengthened implementation of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) strategy to address marine litter from ships.