The United Nations has come up with 17 developmental goals to promote a sustainable

future. Goal 14: Life Below Water is the most important goal as it affects people’s daily lives in

the economy, society, and the environment greatly. Life Below Water emphasizes how the

public should conserve, watch, and protect the use of the oceans and water. Firstly, oceans play

a massive role in the economy by providing jobs for people and their families. According to the

United Nations, the oceans are responsible for “employing over 200 million people, the market

value of the ocean's marine and coastal resources is estimated to be a 3 trillion dollar industry,

about 5% of global GDP.” (Goal 14: Life Below Water). Around the world, societies depend on

the ocean for income to support their families. The ocean can employ a large amount of the

population, which contributes to people’s financial stability. When families don’t have enough

money, it can contribute to widespread poverty. Globally, the economy relies on the ocean as it

makes up a significant percentage of the global GDP (Gross Domestic Product). By regulating

illegal fishing, overfishing, and conserving parts of the ocean, families will have enough money

to be able to financially support their families. Secondly, the ocean greatly impacts the

environment through filtration of the air. People have already begun to see the results of carbon

footprints and pollution debris in the ocean as “ocean acidity has risen 26% since the

pre-industrial times and is expected to rise even more.” (Goal 14: Life Below Water). Increased

levels of carbon dioxide and marine debris has led to an increase in ocean acidity. Higher rates

of ocean acidity will lower the ability of the ocean to absorb carbon dioxide, buffering global

warming. This problem can easily be resolved by reducing individual carbon footprints and

reducing the amount of plastic one uses. If society doesn't help to reduce ocean acidity levels,

global warming will become another result of the neglect of ocean conservation. Lastly, the

ocean has a great impact on society with the amount of food that it provides for people around

the world. The United Nations states that “Oceans serve as the world’s largest source of protein,
with more than 3 billion people depending on the oceans as their primary source of protein.”(

Goal 14: Life Below Water). A large number of people rely on the ocean to be able to provide

them with essential food. If people don’t conserve the ocean, they are contributing to people

becoming hungry and malnourished. This problem can be resolved by regulating overfishing,

illegal fishing, and maintaining the ocean. This goal not only impacts the ocean but people

around the world’s ability to live and survive off of the ocean. In conclusion, goal 14: Life Below

Water is the most important goal because of its massive impact on daily life today. Life Below

Water not only affects what society is able to do with the ocean, but with job security in

providing a handful of jobs to people in the fishing industry, the environment with its impact on

global warming and ocean acidity levels, and its large food source that serves as the world’s

largest protein source. If society begins to take action towards this goal, people will see many

great benefits arise from the ocean that will help to create a sustainable future. Goal 14: Life

Below Water not only affects how society lives now, but how the future generations will live too.