The Minister of Public Works, José Luis Ábalos, highlighted today, in the delivery of the "SDG 14 Awards for some #mareslimpios" of Maritime Rescue, the work of the organizations awarded this year for their relentless work and their work to protect the marine environment and for its fight against pollution of oceans and coasts.
These awards, which are already celebrating their third edition, are aimed at promoting initiatives that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goal 14 within the 2030 Agenda, which includes the defense of our oceans, our seas and our marine resources.
During his speech, Ábalos congratulated the men and women who form Maritime Rescue for being an example in the fight in defense of our oceans, seas and coasts. The staff of the entity has been referred to as a reference for all State administrations for their direct work in the tasks of protection and decontamination of the marine environment and for the pedagogical and social awareness work both daily and with the promotion of these awards.
The minister has shown his recognition to all the winners and has valued his outstanding work in the development of programs and projects to decontaminate the seas and to promote individual commitments and attitudes in defense of the marine environment. He also stressed that the defense and protection of marine ecosystems and the environment will be doomed to fail if governments and public bodies do not review their actions and make legislative decisions in that direction.
Winners:
The "SDG 14 Awards for some #mareslimpios" value people, associations or companies that have developed initiatives aimed at raising awareness about the need to preserve the marine environment and actions to combat pollution.
Maritime Rescue Award for the best contribution to SDG 14 regarding the conservation of our seas:
- For the Biodiversity Foundation, for the Life Intemares project, which has achieved the declaration of a new marine protected area: the Mediterranean Cetacean Migration Corridor. With this statement Spain is positioned as a reference in marine conservation in the world order, exceeding 12% of protected marine area, above the 10% target set by the UN Biodiversity Convention for 2020.
- A second prize is granted to the Circular Seas Project of Coca-Cola Company and Coca-Cola European Partners, for its integral and integrative nature and for developing a circular strategy, which is materialized in waste collection, classification, data analysis and the reintegration in the value chain of the collected waste.
- A second prize is awarded to the Project "I Great Cleaning of the Seabed of A Coruña" developed by Nauga and its # UnBuceoUnPlásticoMenos program, with which it is sought to ensure that in each dive that is carried out a plastic is removed from the seabed.
Maritime Rescue Award for the best awareness raising initiative for the conservation of our seas, thus promoting SDG 14
- For Oceánidas and its Marine Surveillance Network initiative, which in its cleaning programs in shallow bottoms and shoreline has used bags manufactured with abandoned or disused fishing nets made by a group of unemployed female irrigators, contributing to the recovery of a craft craft.
A second prize is granted to the Life Lema Consortium which, with its program "Once upon a thousand small boats," contributes to knowledge about drift and accumulation of marine litter along the Bay of Biscay.
- An accésit is granted to the Official Colex of Biologists of Galicia for the project "Network for the recovery of marine ecosystems in the PNMTIAG", for the development of actions in the search for solutions to avoid the generation of marine litter at source.
Internal Maritime Rescue Award for the best initiative to contribute to SDG 14.
- For its Communication area, for its Safety and Clean Seas Campaign in collaboration with the Clan TVE children's channel, for transmitting to more than 250,000 children the message of keeping our seas and oceans clean for the future of the planet.