Photo: BeMed
Background
Macro, micro and nano plastics threaten Mediterranean species, ecosystems and human health. The Mediterranean is the sixth greatest accumulation zone for marine litter: this sea holds only 1% of the world’s waters, but concentrates 7% of all global micro plastics. As a semi-enclosed sea, the Mediterranean is particularly vulnerable to plastics. In terms of marine litter floating in the sea, plastics account for more than 85% as for litter on the sea floor. In fact, even if plastics have been observed on shorelines, in surface waters and in the water column, the vast majority of it is accumulating on the seafloor, mostly in the form of micro plastics in the deep-sea sediments.
Main objective
The purpose of this initiative is to improve the existing methodology, model and data to assess plastic waste and leakages, pathways and sinks by combining modelling and field approaches in the Mediterranean Sea, with a special focus on North African countries. The project aims to better understand the origin and the pathways of plastics to the sea, and its impacts on marine biodiversity and the food chain. This study will be based on existing data recognised by the scientific community, in particular the Tara Foundation’s database.
The project will also include an important component of dissemination of the results at international (Barcelona Convention, European Commission), national and local levels to participate in the elaboration of measures for the reduction of marine pollution and the achievement of good environmental status in the Mediterranean.
Specific objectives
- Enhance the knowledge on the origins of marine plastic/micro plastic waste and its fate in the Mediterranean by producing scientific information;
- Inform Mediterranean policies at international, regional and local level and raise public and private sector awareness on marine plastics pollution by sharing and disseminating information.
IUCN-Med’s role
IUCN-Med is coordinating the project activities, and publishing a series of Policy Briefs/Issues Briefs as well as managing the release of a publication (Boucher & Billard, 2020) aiming to combine an estimation of the plastic stock accumulated in the Mediterranean Sea, the current annual plastic leakage and the assessment of key actions to close the plastic tap.
IUCN had already published a report assessing the sources of primary micro plastics entering the world ocean (Boucher & Friot, 2017) based on a modelling approach. This report is one of the first of its kind to quantify primary sources of micro plastics and to demonstrate that they are globally responsible for a major source of plastics in the oceans. The report shows that globally primary micro plastics contribute from 15 to 31% of the plastic input. This is a significant but still unrecognised proportion.
Partnership
IUCN-Med is working in partnership with Tara Expeditions Foundation and Surfrider Foundation Europe.
Donor
Prince Albert II Monaco Foundation
Duration
From January 2019 until December 2021
