On World Oceans Day (8 June), the European Union reiterated its "commitment to implementing the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development", and in particular, Sustainable Development Goal 14 on conserving oceans, seas and marine resources sustainably.
This is the message delivered in a joint statement by High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella.
The NGO Greenpeace meanwhile chose World Oceans Day to sound the alarm bell at the threat of plastic pollution in the Mediterranean (96% of rubbish in the Mediterranean is plastic), as "somewhere between 21% and 54% of all global microplastic particles in the world are in the Mediterranean basin".
As well as an awareness-raising campaign, Greenpeace has launched a petition to ask European governments "to phase out single-use plastic items, like plastic cups, cutlery and bags".
It underlines that the highest proportion of plastic demand is for packaging (39.9% in Europe) – much of it for single-use products. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)