SDG 14: Life Below Water

Conserve and Sustainably Use the Oceans, Seas and Marine Resources

SDG 14 is about making sustainable use of oceans, seas and maritime resources. This includes reducing pollution, managing marine and coastal ecosystems on a sustainable basis, and tackling problems related to fishing and overfishing.

Policy, Initiatives and Organizations

How The Hague Contributes

The Hague is strongly interlinked with the North Sea. The 11 kilometers of coastline and rich dune area is an important attraction for both residents of The Hague and tourists. The North Sea Farm is located not far off the coast of The Hague. This is a foundation that offers space for innovations such as seaweed, oyster and mussel cultivation. It is also developing commercial applications for seaweed and a floating solar park that promotes aquaculture while generating energy from the sun.

Initiatives in The Hague

Urban Waterbuffer

Cromvlietpark was due for renewal; it was a long area with asphalt, fences and wide sidewalks. Located in the park is the Urban Waterbuffer. This is a large container and works, among other things, as a water storage underground for the collection of rain and surface water. Read more about the Urban Waterbuffer in the Cromvlietpark here.

Living Lab Scheveningen

Living Lab Scheveningen is a test environment where the municipality, companies, residents and knowledge institutions work on smart and digital inventions to solve social problems. Its ultimate goal is making the environment more pleasant; think of safety, sustainability, social cohesion, economy and mobility. Read more about Living Lab Scheveningen here.

‘Schoon, doen we toch gewoon?’ campaign

‘Schoon, doen we toch gewoon?’ organizes actions and campaigns to reach and educate as many citizens of The Hague as possible. In the summer of 2022, a SUP action was organized to clean the canals of The Hague. Interested parties could use a SUP board for free and fish litter out of the water in The Hague. The action was a great success and raised awareness of the effects of litter in the water. Read more about 'Schoon, doen we toch gewoon'.