Coastal eutrophication (SDG 14.1.1a)

The full methodology and a full list of experts involved are in the Global Manual on SDG 14.1.1, 14.2.1 and 14.5.1. Methods were developed through pilot testing in Colombia and Fiji and online consultation and an international expert group meeting in Paris.

Linkages:

FDES (Framework for the development of Environment Statistics) topic 1.3.3 on Marine Water Quality chapter (being finalized now, a summary presentation is here). (Contact Reena Shah from UNSD on the FDES.)
SEEA (System of Economic Environmental Accounts) framework for ocean accounts (under development). (Contact Alessandra Alferi from UNSD on the SEEA.)
Regional Seas Programme indicators: 1 Total inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus from agriculture, sewage and atmospheric nitrogen; 2 Inputs of marine chemical pollution; 9 Eutrophication status and 10 Pollution hot spots. (A more complete review of the SDGs and Regional Seas indicators is here.) (Contact Nancy Soi the Regional Seas coordinator for more information on the Regional Seas.)
Aichi Target 8: By 2020, pollution, including from excess nutrients, has been brought to levels that are not detrimental to ecosystem function and biodiversity.

Coastal eutrophication potential

This data will come from both global modelling and national of nitrogen and phosphate loading. The indicator for coastal eutrophication potential (ICEP), is based on loads and ratios of nitrogen, phosphorus and silica delivered by rivers to coastal waters. The basis for these loads is collected from land-based assessments of land use including fertilizer use, population density, socioeconomic factors and other contributors to nutrient pollution runoff. National level tailoring to improve the underlying geospatial data on these nutrient contributors is recommended. (Full information described in the Global Manual).

For the global modelling, MARINA (Strokal et al 2016), a basin level of the Global NEWS model will be used. The global modelling is a collaboration the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA), OIC-UNESCO and INMS. The modelling is expected to be completed by the end of 2020.

Contact: Jillian Campbell and UNEP-GPA: Mahesh Pradhan; INMS members: Josette Garnier; Maryna Strokal; Wim de Vries; and Mark Sutton; Global NEWS model experts: Lex Bouwman and John Harrison; and UNESCO: Henrik Oksfeldt Enevoldsen.

Chlorophyl-A

Global modelling of chlorophyl-A deviations using satellite data and national modelling of chlorophyl-A concentration and deviations. There have been continuous satellite ocean colour since 1997. The ESA Ocean Colour CCI (OC_CCI) project, led by the Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), has produced a consistent, merged chlorophyll-a product from a collation of satellite data: SeaWiFS, MODIS, MERIS and VIIRS, spanning 1997 to 2018 (Sathyendranath et al., 2018). For SDG 14.1.1a, 4 km resolution, monthly products will be derived from the OC-CCI for each individual pixel within a country’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Using the monthly baseline averages (2000-2004), deviations from the baseline are calculated and used to report on this SDG indicator. The annual average of these monthly figures across the EEZ is being developed now and will be completed by August 2020. (Full information described in the Global Manual).

The global modelling is a collaboration between UN Environment, GEO Blue Planet, (Chaired by NOAA), ESRI and other partners. An internal file drive has more information, click here to request access.

Contact: Jillian Campbell and GEO Blue Planet (and NOAA): Emily Smail; Daniel Takaki; Paul DiGiacomo and ESRI: Keith VanGraafeiland.

In Situ monitoring

In-situ concentration of total Nitrogen of DIN (dissolved inorganic nitrogen); total Phosphorus or DIP (dissolved inorganic phosphorus) and total silica. This will need to be collected through the Regional Seas or directly from countries that are not a member of the Regional Seas Programme. The in situ monitoring aims to align with SDG 6.3.2. In situ monitoring also aims to bring in the experiences from the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) which is a sustained collaborative system of ocean observations, including in situ networks. The GOOS is built upon the work of many UN agencies and individual scientists. This will also feed into strengthening ocean data under the Decade of Ocean Science and the Ocean Data and Information Exchange.

UNEP is developing a data reporting system which is will build on the Indicator Reporting Information System (IRIS) which is part of the World Environment Situation Room.

Contact: Jillian Campbell and GOOS : Emma Heslop; on the Ocean data exchange: Peter Pissierssens

In addition to the above sub-indicators of the SDGs, the following supplementary indciators are recommended for countries to consider. dissolved oxygen; biological/chemical oxygen demand (BOD/COD); total organic carbon (TOC); turbidity (remote sensing); river parameters from SDG 6.3.2; other water parameters (O2 % saturation, Secchi depth, river discharge, salinity, temperature, pH, alkalinity, organic carbon, toxic metals, persistent organic pollutants); and microalgal growth, harmful algal blooms, submerged aquatic vegetation coverage, biodiversity and hypoxia.