its provisions set out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out and it could thus be argued that unclos relates to almost all sdg targets of particular relevance is the legal framework for the protection and preservation of the marine environment set out in part xii of unclos it sets out the general obligation for states to protect and preserve the marine environment article and includes a number of provisions which elaborate on this obligation these two parts relate directly to targets and but also to