Chapter: 6 Recovery of Marine Ecosystems – National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Gulf Research Program (GRP): A Strategic Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Program Overview and Mandate

A report on the National Academies’ Gulf Research Program (GRP), an independent, science-based initiative established in 2013. The program’s foundation is linked to the legal settlements following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster.

• Establishment: 2013
• Funding Source: Legal settlements from companies involved in the Deepwater Horizon incident.
• Core Principle: To operate as an independent, science-based entity.

Core Mission and Contribution to Sustainable Development

The GRP’s mission is to develop, translate, and apply scientific knowledge to achieve long-term sustainability and resilience for the Gulf of Mexico region and the nation. This mission directly supports several key pillars of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

1. Enhancing Offshore Energy Safety: Promoting safer and more sustainable practices in the energy sector.
2. Protecting the Environment: Safeguarding marine and coastal ecosystems.
3. Improving Human Wellbeing: Fostering resilient and prosperous communities in the Gulf region.

Alignment with Specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The program’s activities demonstrate a significant commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• SDG 14 (Life Below Water): The GRP’s primary focus on the Gulf’s environment directly contributes to the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources by funding research to mitigate pollution and restore ecosystem health.
• SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) & SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure): By working to enhance the safety of offshore energy, the program supports the development of resilient infrastructure and promotes sustainable industrial practices.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) & SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The mission to enhance the wellbeing of the Gulf’s population aligns with goals for creating safe, resilient communities and ensuring healthy lives, which depend on a stable environment and economy.
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): The GRP actively builds and sustains networks, fostering collaboration between scientific, governmental, and community stakeholders to achieve its objectives, embodying the spirit of global partnership for sustainable development.

Strategic Activities and Implementation

The GRP executes its mission through a multi-faceted approach aimed at generating lasting benefits.

• Supporting innovative scientific research.
• Guiding the design of data collection and environmental monitoring systems.
• Building and sustaining collaborative networks to translate science into actionable policy and practice.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article mentions the GRP’s mission to enhance the “wellbeing of the people of the Gulf region.” This directly connects to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being, especially in a region recovering from an environmental disaster that had health implications for its residents.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The mission to “enhance the safety of offshore energy” is directly related to promoting safe and secure working environments, a key aspect of decent work for those employed in the Gulf’s energy sector.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The program was founded as a result of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. By working to enhance safety and prevent future disasters, the GRP contributes to making human settlements, particularly the coastal communities of the Gulf region, more resilient and safer.

• SDG 14: Life Below Water

  This is a central theme. The GRP was established in response to a massive marine oil spill. Its mission to protect the “environment… of the Gulf region” inherently focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of the Gulf of Mexico’s marine resources and the prevention of marine pollution.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article states that the GRP “builds and sustains networks to generate long-term benefits.” This activity of fostering collaboration among scientific, and likely public and private, entities to achieve common goals is the essence of SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination. The GRP’s work to enhance safety and protect the environment aims to prevent future industrial disasters like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which released hazardous materials, thereby contributing to this target.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.8: Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers. The mission to “enhance the safety of offshore energy” directly aligns with creating safer working conditions for employees in this industry.

3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses… caused by disasters, including water-related disasters. By focusing on preventing a recurrence of an event like the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the GRP’s work contributes to protecting the people and economy of the Gulf region from future industrial, water-related disasters.

4. SDG 14: Life Below Water

   • Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds. The entire premise of the GRP, born from an oil spill, is to use science to prevent such pollution events in the future.
   • Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts. The mission to protect the “environment… of the Gulf region” directly supports the management and protection of its marine and coastal ecosystems.
   • Target 14.a: Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology. The article explicitly states the GRP “supports innovative science” and “guides data design and monitoring” related to the Gulf region’s environment and energy sector.

5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources. The GRP itself is a program that uses settlement funds to mobilize scientific knowledge and expertise.
   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The GRP’s stated activity to “builds and sustains networks” is a direct implementation of this target, fostering collaboration to achieve its mission.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not mention any specific, quantitative indicators. However, it strongly implies their use and development through its stated activities. The phrase that the GRP “guides data design and monitoring” explicitly points to the process of creating and using indicators to track progress and measure outcomes. Based on the GRP’s mission, implied indicators would include:

• Metrics related to the safety of offshore energy operations (e.g., number and severity of safety incidents, implementation of new safety protocols).
• Environmental quality data for the Gulf of Mexico (e.g., water quality measurements, biodiversity indices, pollution levels).
• Socio-economic data on the well-being of Gulf communities (e.g., public health statistics, economic resilience measures).
• The number of scientific studies funded, research papers published, and new technologies developed through GRP support.
• The number and effectiveness of networks and partnerships established to address the region’s challenges.

Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: nationalacademies.org