SDG 14, ocean sustainability and transfer of marine technology: the role of UNCLOS and international intellectual property law

The ocean is facing unprecedented environmental and conservation challenges. The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development gives a special emphasis to the ocean. SDG 14, dedicated to the ocean, incorporates several targets for the conservation of the marine environment and marine biodiversity. Most recent reports show that progress for achieving these targets is very slow. The ocean-dependent communities in coastal developing countries are facing serious threats to their lives and livelihoods. The progress for innovation and transfer of technology, which is critical for sustainable ocean governance, is also painfully slow. Against this backdrop, the chapter concisely presents the relevant provisions of SDG 14 and the role of the law of the sea and international intellectual property law in facilitating transfer of marine technologies. It argues that both regimes have legal avenues for marine technology transfer. However, these legal provisions are yet to be translated into reality. A concerted global initiative for marine technological innovation and dissemination is needed to achieve the targets under Goal 14.