Reducing plastic pollution of the oceans is a priority issue for UN Environment. In 2018, we helped nations and individuals make huge commitments to giving up single-use plastics.

• World Environment Day 2018 targeted plastic pollution, with global host India leading the way by pledging to give up single-use plastics by 2022. The world’s biggest day for global environmental action reached hundreds of millions of people in more than 190 countries and 60 languages. It engaged 6.5 million people online, including 90 celebrities from all parts of the world, and inspired thousands of events across the globe, from beach clean-ups to zero-waste marathons.

• Many others countries, blocs and businesses made commitments, such as Nigeria and Honduras. The European Union proposed a ban on ten single-use plastic items representing 70 per cent of all marine litter by 2025. Businesses like Ikea and Foodpanda pledged to act.

• Commitments from 57 nations, covering over 60 per cent of the world’s coastlines, made our Clean Seas campaign the largest global compact for combatting marine litter.

Read more