Did you know that every year, millions of tonnes of litter end up on beaches, seas and ocean? An estimated 80% of this waste comes from land-based sources like beach littering, landfills and street litter carried to the sea by untreated sewage, rivers and floodwaters [1]. The Plastic Pirates-Go Europe! initiative addresses this issue by engaging young people across Europe to combat pollution through data collection on waste in rivers and coastal areas, supporting scientific research and raising awareness about environmental protection. Now active in over 13 European Union (EU) countries and beyond, the Plastic Pirates initiative aims to further expand and increase international collaboration.
This week, the Plastic Pirates 2024 Summit, held on 5-6 November in Brussels, celebrated citizen science efforts to tackle pollution in Europe. The event brought together policymakers, scientists, educators and young citizen scientists. On the first day, keynotes from the European Commission and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) highlighted the impact of citizen science in supporting the EU Mission Restore Our Ocean and Waters and links to EU and international policies. Young students shared stories of hands-on environmental stewardship, while scientific sessions presented findings on plastic hotspots and microplastics, emphasising the crucial need for scaling up and out citizen science projects. On the second day, three interactive workshops explored the following topics:
- What is needed to become a blue citizen?
- Riverine data on (plastic) pollution – How to streamline data collection and management? Introducing Quality Control and Assurance into citizen science.
- How to upscale, maintain and coordinate Citizen Science in the Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters’ objectives?
This event was a great opportunity to deepen our understanding of pollution. The Plastic Pirates’ data reveal that plastic waste and cigarette litter are the most common items collected [2]. This week’s map highlights cigarette litter, showing median cigarette-related litter per beach over 100-metre segments of European beaches from 2001 to 2022. The map includes Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) monitoring surveys. Cigarette butts and other marine litter pose significant hazards to marine life. This litter also threatens human health globally as toxins enter the food chain. Furthermore, marine litter causes serious economic damage as polluted beaches lose tourism appeal, and fishermen increasingly find waste in their catches [3]. As part of its Plastics Strategy, the EU has responded with measures to limit disposable plastics such as the Single-use plastics Directive and enacted the MSFD, which calls on EU Member States to ensure marine litter does not harm coastal environments. At the individual level, you can also contribute to the solution by reducing single-use items, properly disposing of waste and recycling whenever possible. You can also participate in local clean-up efforts. Zoom into the map to find a beach where your actions can have the biggest impact.
The Plastic Pirates Summit showcased the inspiring involvement of schools and students across Europe, demonstrating the power of citizen science in raising awareness and collecting data that may increase environmental protection. Complementing these efforts, the Network of European Blue Schools, one of the three components of the EU4Ocean Coalition, encourages educators to help students of all ages to “Find the Blue” by developing projects that connect them with the ocean. These Blue Schools empower young people to become ocean guardians by integrating ocean literacy into their work, fostering a deeper understanding of the ocean’s role in global ecosystems and inspiring them to develop solutions for marine protection. Initiatives such as Plastic Pirates-Go Europe! and the Network of EU Blue Schools underscore the vital role of youth engagement in building a sustainable future.
The Plastic Pirates-Go Europe! initiative is itself a member of the EU4Ocean Platform, also a component of the EU4Ocean Coalition.
Wish to know more and to get involved?
- Discover the Plastic Pirates’ new ‘Project Booklet for Coasts and Beaches’ to learn about their data collection methods and start a citizen science project in your area.
- If you work for a school, apply by 15 December 2024 to become part of the Network of European Blue Schools and get support to develop your project! Don’t miss the deadlines of the calls published by BlueLightS (15 November), SHORE (20 November) and ProBleu (21 November) to secure funding for projects to enhance water and ocean literacy in your school. Apply now!
- If you are a young leader, have a look at the current Youth4Ocean Forum call for Young Ocean Advocates promoting Blue Citizenship at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference. Apply by 30 November 2024 to help drive global efforts in ocean literacy and sustainability!
- If you are a teacher and you would like to learn how you can use the European Atlas of the Seas at school, save the date to join the online workshop ‘Bring the ocean into your classroom with the European Atlas of the Seas’, on December 4, from 18.00 to 19.30 (CET). Registrations will open soon!
The data in the map are provided by EMODnet.
[1] https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/european-marine-litter-assessment-