蜜桃TV

The United Nations used World Oceans Day 2025 to deliver its starkest warning yet on the marine plastic crisis, calling plastic pollution a 鈥渃ancer afflicting the planet鈥�.

The message, delivered through the UN Department of Global Communications, cited research that more than 400M tonnes of plastic is produced annually, with over 23M tonnes entering aquatic ecosystems each year. That equates to more than 2,600 tonnes per hour 鈥� an amount described by the UN as 鈥渁n unbearable burden鈥�.

鈥淭he ocean is our life source,鈥� said the UN secretary-general in his statement, 鈥渂ut our planet is choking on plastic.鈥�

Referring to the widespread impact of marine debris on coastal ecosystems, human health and climate, the press release added plastic pollution is now so pervasive it has been found in fish stomachs, Arctic ice and even the placentas of unborn children.

According to the UN, only 9% of plastic ever produced has been recycled.

World Oceans Day events, held under the theme聽Catalysing Action for Our Ocean and Climate, included calls to finalise a legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution.

The UN鈥檚 Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution is due to reconvene for a fifth and final session later in 2025.

In parallel, the UN Environment Programme鈥檚 Global Partnership on Plastic Pollution and Marine Litter is maintaining momentum through technical collaboration, knowledge-sharing platforms and advocacy for improved policy coherence.

While global rhetoric has escalated, national and regional developments reveal mixed progress. The European Union鈥檚 Joint Research Centre reported in February that overall marine macro-litter along EU shorelines fell by 29% between the 2015鈥�2016 and 2020鈥�2021 survey periods.

The volume of single-use plastics decreased by 40%, with fisheries-related items falling by 20%. Researchers attribute this to the combined effect of the EU鈥檚 Marine Strategy Framework Directive, voluntary clean-ups and national bans.

Conversely, the UK and Channel Islands recorded a 10% increase in single-use plastic litter on beaches in 2024, according to the Marine Conservation Society. More than 750,000 individual items were collected during that year鈥檚 surveys. The charity has renewed calls for 鈥渁 meaningful global plastics treaty鈥� and acceleration of national policy tools, including deposit return schemes.

In the maritime sector, International 蜜桃TV Organization finalised its updated Action Plan to Address Marine Plastic Litter from Ships earlier this year. Drafted ahead of MEPC 83, the revised action plan includes proposals to regulate plastic pellets (nurdles) as marine pollutants, increase accountability for lost fishing gear, and enhance port reception facilities. Educational campaigns targeting seafarers and port workers also feature in the strategy.

Local efforts continue to play an important role. In May, EU-funded divers removed tonnes of tyres, plastics and scrap metal from the seabed off Alonissos in Greece, within the boundaries of the Mediterranean鈥檚 largest marine protected area. The Greek government aims to designate 30% of its maritime zones as protected areas by 2030.

Despite progress in policy and awareness, the UN鈥檚 conclusion remains stark: current efforts are not sufficient to reverse the damage.

鈥淭his cannot go on,鈥� the World Oceans Day statement read. 鈥淧lastic pollution is outpacing our efforts and our ocean is running out of time.鈥�