New Assessment on Marine Litter Prevention

The Regional activity Centre for Cleaner Production (CP/RAC) of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP/UNEP) has published the document "Preventive Measures to address the problem of Marine Litter" that will serve as a technical background document for the preparation of a Regional Plan on Marine Litter, with legally binding compromises for the parties of the Barcelona Convention for the protection of the Mediterranean.

Aside from its negative impacts on the environment and health, marine debris can also have substantial negative socio-economic impacts: it can cause economic losses to commercial fishing and shipping as well as industries such as recreation and tourism, so important in the Mediterranean Region.

The adoption of a Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) approach can turn the root cause of plastic pollution in the marine environment into an economic opportunity. Thus marine litter prevention will offer multiple opportunities such as economic and environmental benefits, jobs creation, reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, etc.

The document offers approaches and opportunities to promote SCP iniciatives, mainly addressed to the governments and the public sector, but also to green entrepreneurs.

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