A plastic-free Mediterranean Sea in the making

Most Mediterranean countries, on both shores, are at a moment when Parliaments are deciding on measures to curb the use of single use plastics and mainly plastic bags. Are the most informed decisions being made? What should the next steps be?

The root causes of marine litter in the Mediterranean are the same as anywhere else in the world: a complex combination of production and consumption patterns, irresponsible behavior of individuals and economic sectors, lack of policy and legislative frameworks, weak solid waste management practices, misconceptions related to possible solutions, fragmented understanding of the problem due to the lack of fit-for-purpose data.

Large amounts of plastic waste leak into the marine environment from sources on land and at sea, generating significant environmental and economic damage. They are estimated to account for over 80% of marine litter. Single-use plastic items are a major component of the plastic leakage and are among the items most commonly found on beaches, representing some 50% of the marine litter found.

Being one of the most affected seas by marine litter worldwide, Mediterranean decision makers are gradually reacting. Understanding and knowledge of the problem has been substantially enhanced in the past few years, with several studies shedding light on the amounts, distribution, sources and impacts. As a result, bold moves are taking shape on the EU side driven by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and measures and pilot actions are advancing in the non-EU countries under the Regional Plan for Marine Litter Management in the Mediterranean of the Barcelona Convention.

Please note that this meeting is not open to registration.