Reducing marine pollution by plastics

In early December 2017 the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi announced a resolution on marine litter and microplastics. This is the first genuine global attempt to tackle the problem. It aims to eliminate marine litter in the long term, urging counties to take action by 2025, to “prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds” and “encourages” them to “prioritise policies” that “avoid marine litter and micro plastics entering the marine environment”. Among other promising points, an international working group will be set up to seek legally binding options to tackle marine litter and almost 40 countries have signed up to the voluntary CleanSeas campaign since its launch in February 2017. However, under pressure from key players like the US, China and India, UNEP has backed off putting in targets or binding commitments.