Plastic Odyssey has announced a major new partnership with UNESCO to strengthen the fight against plastic pollution in the world’s most ecologically important marine sites…
The collaboration, unveiled during the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, marks a turning point in the mission of the Plastic Odyssey ship, which has been sailing since 2022 to raise awareness and develop concrete solutions to plastic pollution.
Every minute, 20 tonnes of plastic waste are dumped into the ocean, much of it invisible to the naked eye as it sinks, degrades, or washes up on remote shores. Over the past three years, Plastic Odyssey’s team has visited some of the worst-affected coastal regions, building a firsthand understanding of the scale and impact of marine plastic waste.
UNESCO, which oversees 50 marine World Heritage sites and 250 marine biosphere reserves, is now supporting Plastic Odyssey’s efforts to access these sensitive environments. The goal is twofold: to collect data and remove waste through scientific missions, and to inspire change by showing that solutions exist.
This alliance will enable new outreach and education initiatives and help turn these rarely visited marine sites into research hubs to measure the true toll of plastic pollution. In parallel, the campaign supports growing international momentum toward a binding treaty on plastic waste, as 95 countries now back targets to reduce global plastic production and consumption.
Plastic Odyssey will return to Monaco in 2026 to share progress on its mission, and to remind us all that action against plastic starts now.
