Inconsistencies between International Trade Law and Protection of Life Below Water

Topic: To what extent international trade law is inconsistent with measures
to protect “Life below Water”
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Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Measures to protect Life below water........................................................................................3
Sustainable development goal................................................................................................3
International Trade Law.............................................................................................................4
General agreement on tariff and trade....................................................................................4
World Trade organisation......................................................................................................6
Inconsistencies...........................................................................................................................7
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................7
Reference List............................................................................................................................8
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Introduction
In this report a study has been done regarding the international trade law and their impact on
the sustainable development goal of the UNO regarding the protection of life underneath the
water. Several international cases have been taken to illustrate the effect of the international
law and environment protection law. The impact of GATT legislation and the WTO and its
effect on the environmental legislation has been studied as well. The level of inconsistency
existing in both this vital legislations has been discussed in this case. The improvement from
GATT to WTO has also been touched in this research work.
Sustainable Development Goal – 14 (Life Below Water)
The Sustainable Development Goal 14 is an important component of the 17 global objectives
that have been set by the United Nations General Assembly as part of their agenda for Global
Sustainable Development. The Sustainable Development Goals have been passed under
resolution 70/1 of the United Nations General Assembly. The SDG 14 primarily deals with
the interaction of the humans with the marine and ocean ecosystem. The main purpose of the
Sustainable Development Goal 14 is to ensure that effective measures and actions are taken
in a timely manner in order to conserve the ocean ecosystem (flora and fauna) while utilising
the vast resources obtained from the oceans in a controlled manner for ensuring the
sustainable growth and development of the global economy1. The oceans cover the vast
majority of the globe accounting for almost 71% of the earth’s surface and they have huge
amount of valuable resources which are stilled unexplored and untapped by modern
civilisation. The oceans are also playing a major role in influencing the global weather and
climate patterns thereby having a crucial impact on the livelihood of the global population.
The SDG 14 recognises the importance of oceans in the lives of the human population by
acknowledging the diverse environmental, economic and social benefits that oceans have
been providing to mankind which extends well beyond the national boundaries of different
countries2.
1 SDG 14: Life Below Water (2018) UN India <http://in.one.un.org/page/sustainable-development-goals/sdg-
14/>
2 Goal 14 .:. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform (2018) Sustainabledevelopment.un.org
<https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg14>
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SDG 14 has identified 10 targets and 10 indicators for realising its main goals and objectives.
Out of these 10 targets, 7 are regular in nature while 3 are specialised targets. The 7 regular
targets of SDG 14 have been mentioned below:
 SDG 14.1 aims at reducing the marine pollution levels all over the world.
 SDG 14.2 aims at protecting the existing marine and coastal ecosystems.
 SDG 14.3 aims at addressing the concerns arising out of acidification of oceans
 SDG 14.4 aims at controlling and regulating the ocean harvesting activities by
bringing an end to practices like overfishing.
 SDG 14.5 aims to conserve at least 10% of the marine and coastal areas
 SDG 14.6 aims to prohibit and prevent certain type of fishing subsidies that are
provided by different nations which are directly encouraging overfishing.
 SDG 14.7 aims to provide greater benefits to smaller island nations that are in the
stages of their economic growth and development and also those nations that are least
developed from the sustainable use of ocean resources3.
Apart from these seven goals and objectives, the remaining three goals are mainly aimed at
facilitating all the nations around the globe to get access to the necessary resources which are
required to meet the goals in a timely and efficient manner. These goals are better known as
SDG 14.A, SDG 14.B and SDG 14.C.
SDG 14.A aims to increase the existing levels of technology, knowledge and research
regarding oceanic health so as to minimise the biodiversity losses that occur as a result of
increased human activities.
SDG 14.B aims to provide additional support to small scale fishermen in the form of
economic subsidies for sustaining their livelihoods.
SDG 14.C aims to ensure the stringent enforcement and implementation of the international
maritime laws and regulations for conserving and protecting the ocean ecosystem.
The UN has set a target of significantly bringing down the existing levels of marine
pollutions and further prevents any pollution that arises particularly from land based activities
3 Oceans - United Nations Sustainable Development (2018) United Nations Sustainable
Development <https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/oceans/>
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