Goal 14
SDG 14: Life Below Water
SDG 14: Life Below Water in Bahrain and Government Initiatives
Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) seeks to conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas, and marine resources. As an island nation, Bahrain places significant importance on preserving its marine ecosystems, which are vital to the country's biodiversity, economy, and cultural heritage. The Bahraini government, primarily through the Ministry of Environment and the Supreme Council for Environment, is implementing various initiatives to protect and restore marine life, reduce marine pollution, and promote sustainable use of marine resources.
Key government initiatives supporting SDG 14 in Bahrain include:
Marine Conservation and Protected Areas: Bahrain has designated several marine areas as protected zones to conserve biodiversity. These protected areas include coral reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass beds, which serve as important habitats for fish, turtles, and other marine species. By restricting fishing and development activities in these zones, the government aims to preserve Bahrain’s marine ecosystems.
Reduction of Marine Pollution: The government has implemented regulations to reduce marine pollution, especially from industrial waste, plastic debris, and oil spills. Policies include strict guidelines for waste disposal in coastal areas, enforcement of penalties for illegal dumping, and regular monitoring of water quality. Public campaigns raise awareness about marine pollution, encouraging citizens and industries to adopt environmentally friendly practices.
Restoration of Marine Ecosystems: Bahrain is involved in projects to restore degraded marine habitats, such as coral reefs and mangroves. The government supports coral reef restoration initiatives, including the transplantation of corals in damaged areas and the creation of artificial reefs to encourage marine life regeneration. Mangrove reforestation projects along Bahrain’s coastlines help restore these vital ecosystems, which provide natural protection against erosion and serve as nurseries for marine species.
Sustainable Fishing Practices: The Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs, and Urban Planning, regulates fishing practices to ensure sustainable use of marine resources. Policies include limits on fish catch sizes, seasonal fishing restrictions, and licenses for commercial fishing operations. These measures help prevent overfishing and protect endangered species, ensuring the long-term sustainability of Bahrain’s fisheries.
Research and International Collaboration: Bahrain collaborates with international organizations, including the United Nations and regional environmental bodies, to protect its marine resources. These partnerships support research on marine biodiversity, conservation techniques, and climate resilience. Bahrain’s involvement in global marine conservation efforts helps align its policies with international best practices and advances SDG 14 at a regional level.
Through these initiatives, Bahrain is actively working to protect and sustainably use its marine resources, ensuring that the country's waters remain healthy and productive for future generations.
SDG 14 at Ahlia University: Promoting Marine Conservation and Environmental Awareness
Ahlia University in Bahrain is committed to supporting SDG 14 by raising awareness about marine conservation, encouraging sustainable practices, and engaging in research on environmental protection. Through educational programs, campus initiatives, and partnerships, the university plays a role in promoting marine sustainability.
Education and Awareness Programs: Ahlia University integrates marine conservation and environmental topics into its curriculum, especially in programs related to environmental science, biology, and sustainability studies. Lectures, workshops, and seminars provide students with knowledge about the importance of Bahrain’s marine ecosystems, the impact of pollution, and the need for sustainable practices.
Environmental and Marine Research: Ahlia University supports research initiatives related to marine ecosystems and environmental sustainability. Faculty and students collaborate on research projects that explore Bahrain’s unique marine biodiversity, conservation techniques, and the effects of pollution on marine life. By contributing to local research, the university helps address Bahrain’s specific marine challenges and advances the broader goals of SDG 14.
Community Engagement and Volunteering: The university encourages students to participate in beach clean-ups, marine awareness campaigns, and environmental events organized in collaboration with local environmental organizations. These activities raise awareness about the effects of marine pollution and offer students hands-on experience in marine conservation, reinforcing their role as responsible stewards of the environment.
Student Environmental Clubs: Ahlia University’s student clubs often focus on sustainability and marine conservation. Club-led activities, such as eco-friendly workshops, recycling drives, and campaigns to reduce plastic use, foster a culture of environmental responsibility among students. By reducing single-use plastics and promoting sustainable practices on campus, these clubs directly contribute to the goals of SDG 14.
Collaborations with Environmental Organizations: Ahlia University collaborates with environmental organizations and government agencies on marine conservation efforts. Through these partnerships, students have opportunities to engage in local conservation projects, attend workshops on sustainable practices, and learn from experts in marine biology and environmental science.
Through these efforts, Ahlia University actively contributes to SDG 14 by promoting marine conservation, supporting environmental research, and encouraging sustainable practices. The university’s dedication to environmental education and community engagement aligns with Bahrain’s national efforts to protect marine life, fostering a generation of environmentally conscious individuals who can contribute to sustainable practices both locally and globally.
Goal Fourteen: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
https://www.sdgs.gov.bh/Goal/?ID=maVqVzx8FlrWJpD4NUhFEQ==
Bahrain to launch new aquarium and underwater zoo
https://www.bahrain-confidential.com/bahrain-to-launch-new-aquarium-and-underwater-zoo/
The developer Eagle Hills, which has ongoing projects in Sharjah, has entered a joint venture with Emaar Entertainment for a new aquarium and underwater zoo in Bahrain.
These attractions will be part of the Marassi Galleria. The additions will span 26,900 square feet. The aquarium will have a capacity to hold 360,000 litres of water and over 200 species of fish.
Operated by Emaar Entertainment, Marassi Aquarium and Underwater Zoo will feature a 20-foot long digital tunnel with multiple interactive digital exhibits.
Eagle Hills is the developer of Marassi Al Bahrain as part of a joint venture with Diyar Al Muharraq. The Marassi Al Bahrain masterplan includes 6,000 residential apartments, 245,000 square metres of retail space, and the Marassi Galleria. There will be two hotels ’ Address Marassi Al Bahrain and Vida Marassi Al Bahrain.
The aquarium will have four ecological zones; the rainforest, the ocean trench’, the jellyfish and the reef zone, which includes a ’Lab of the Future’.
Partnering with notable entities such as Emaar Entertainment further cements the mall’s reputation as one of the Kingdom’s highly anticipated destinations, and we are confident that Marassi Aquarium and Underwater Zoo will play a key role in both the local and regional tourism sectors.’
Strategically located tanks and tunnels will also allow visitors to come face-to-face with varied aquatic life.
COASTAL AND MARINE ENVIRONMENTS IN BAHRAIN: ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACTS AND CONSERVATION MEASURES
www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/241251.pdf
The Arabian Gulf is a semi-enclosed sea situated in the subtropical zone and characterized by low precipitation and high aridity. Biota in the Arabian Gulf inhabits one of the harshest marine environments due to marked fluctuations in sea temperatures and high salinities. Additional anthropogenic effects could arguably be critical for biodiversity and abundance of marine organisms inhabiting the naturally stressed environment of the Arabian Gulf, which is considered among the highest anthropogenically impacted regions in the world. Coastal development associated with intensive dredging and reclamation is increasingly contributing to the degradation of marine ecosystems. Pollutants inputs affecting coastal and marine environments of the Arabian Gulf include domestic sewage, brine waste waters, and effluents from petroleum and petrochemical industries.
This paper identifies valued ecosystem components (VECs) and their ecological goods and services in Bahrain, characterizes existing anthropogenic impacts influencing coastal and marine environments, and proposes measures that may contribute to the conservation of coastal and marine habitats in Bahrain.
Despite the limited land area of Bahrain, waters surrounding its islands support several VECs such as seagrass beds, coral reefs, mangrove swamps, and mud flats that provide important ecological goods and services. Seagrass beds are highly productive ecosystems that characterized by important ecological and economic functions. They provide food sources and nursery grounds for turtles, dugongs, shrimps and a variety of economically important marine organisms. Coral reefs are characterized by both biological diversity and high levels of productivity. They provide a variety of ecological services such as renewable sources of seafood, maintenance of genetic, biological and habitat diversity, recreational values, and economical benefits such as utilizing destructive reefs for creating land. Mangrove swamps are ecologically important coastal ecosystems that provide food, shelter and nursery areas for a variety of terrestrial and marine fauna.
However, these ecosystems are intensively subjected to human disturbance either by direct physical damage or by deterioration of the water quality resulting from increasing levels of pollution. The main anthropogenic impacts in Bahrain are reclamation and dredging, industrial and sewage effluents, hypersaline water discharge from desalination plants, and oil pollution.
Preserving and conserving genetic, species, habitat biodiversity in the marine environments are immediate priorities. Several measures could be applied to protect the biodiversity in Bahrain. Marine protected areas are widely recognized as an effective mean of protecting biodiversity. Several coastal and marine protected areas have been established in Bahrain. However, their effectiveness is restricted due to the lack of management plans.
Further integration of biodiversity into environmental impact assessment system in Bahrain is needed. This is of crucial importance as coastal and marine environments are the prime target for most developmental projects in Bahrain. Considering effects of dredging and reclamation on marine biodiversity in EIA studies and suggesting measures to avoid or reduce adverse impacts could contribute to conserve the sensitive and productive habitats in Bahrain.
Legal instruments and higher level environmental policies in Bahrain are contributing to preventing environmental degradation and conserving biodiversity. Incorporating biodiversity assessment into the legal system and implementing the Bahraini National.
Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan may contribute significantly into the enforcement of biodiversity conservation. Monitoring and scientific research are integral part of any effort to reduce the loss of biodiversity. Developing necessary plans and mechanisms for population and habitat conservation require adequate knowledge and description of species. This could be achieved by promoting taxonomic research in the Arabian Gulf.
Experimental Application of Centrifugal Separation Techniques ’CST’ on reclaiming Produced wastewater from Oil Refinery, Khartoum State
15th International Annual Conference, 16th ’ 18th May 2017, Sheraton International, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
An Investigation of the Utilization of Energy and Water Conservation Technologies in Bahrain: Entrepreneur opportunity
Environmental management and sustainable development
https://www.ahlia.edu.bh/environmental-management-sustainable-development/
Seminar: Environmental management and sustainable development.
Lecturer: Prof. Amer Al-Roubaie
Venue: Ahlia University
Date: 29/3/2016
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