#EUBeachCleanup: Together to protect marine life
Every year, millions of tons of litter end up in the ocean with a direct and deadly effect on wildlife from seabirds to whales, fish to invertebrates. Marine pollution starts on land and is one of the main drivers of the depletion of marine biodiversity. This is why since 2017 the EU has organised the annual #EUBeachCleanup campaign, making a strong call to action to protect the ocean at a global level, in both landlocked and coastal areas.
“Our actions impact our oceans. It’s our choice: either we continue polluting our ocean with marine litter, or we take action and clean our seas. #EUBeachCleanup is a great individual and collective action of volunteers around the world to keep beaches clean and protect marine life. It’s needed, it’s urgent, everyone can contribute to restoring our planet.”
- High Representative/Vice-President, Josep Borrell
https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1439138639083098113
“Restoring biodiversity, protecting the ocean and empowering citizens are all high on the EU’s agenda. The true power of #EUBeachCleanup is that it brings all these together and gains worldwide attention. It’s about walking the talk and turning the European Green Deal into global blue action. Join us. Together, we can make a difference.”
- Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius
https://twitter.com/VSinkevicius/status/1437085539631607812
#EUBeachCleanup is a global awareness-raising campaign set to boost concrete actions for the protection of the oceans. This year the campaign is focused on the protection of marine biodiversity with the theme, “Together to protect marine life”, in line with the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15).
For the 2021 edition of the #EUBeachCleanup campaign, the EU joined forces with ActNow, the United Nations' campaign for individual action on climate change and sustainability. Participants have been joining the movement not only on physical events but also via the ActNow app, where they have been creating teams and sharing the number of bags of litter collected.
https://twitter.com/UNEP/status/1438095765298110467
This weekend in particular, to mark World Coastal Clean-up day, several countries across the globe are taking part in clean-up initiatives that have been taking place since June. Let’s take a tour around the world to get a closer look at some of this year's events!
And of course, as in previous years, The Smurfs are touring with us!
Belgium
https://twitter.com/EU_MARE/status/1437091157960495119
Kazakhstan
https://twitter.com/EUinKazakhstan/status/1439115956589039619
https://twitter.com/BEinNurSultan/status/1438827440311345153
New Zealand
https://twitter.com/euinnz/status/1439093387613782017?s=21
https://twitter.com/mirawoldberg/status/1439083377953439744?s=21
Portugal
https://twitter.com/ce_ptrep/status/1439166524313509890?s=21
Indonesia
https://twitter.com/euambasean/status/1438766140654718976?s=21
https://twitter.com/nlinindonesia/status/1438783191607754752?s=21
Mozambique
https://twitter.com/karlsen_jenny/status/1439149092354002948
Greece
https://twitter.com/JohnSteliosEU/status/1439170501751025667
Ecuador
https://twitter.com/UEenEcuador/status/1437874993996701696
Ireland
https://twitter.com/eurireland/status/1436329407229145088
Albania
https://twitter.com/EUinAlbania/status/1439286947877371906
https://twitter.com/UN_Albania/status/1439298052737703940
El Salvador
https://twitter.com/UEenElSalvador/status/1439278590743490563
https://twitter.com/UEenElSalvador/status/1439252324225060865
Senegal
https://twitter.com/UEauSenegal/status/1439272179451957252
https://twitter.com/IMingassonUE/status/1439303281474420742
The Netherlands
https://twitter.com/EUinNL/status/1423609372006100994
Hong Kong
https://twitter.com/A_Giorgini/status/1439271456286806022
Chicago
https://twitter.com/FranceinChicago/status/1439347038978707462
Mumbai
https://twitter.com/NLinMumbai/status/1439459771518619648
Burundi
https://twitter.com/UEauBurundi/status/1439233784231219200
https://twitter.com/UNICEF_Burundi/status/1439315567823912961
Singapore
https://twitter.com/IwonaPiorkoEU/status/1439054565890920452
Romania
https://twitter.com/RCERomania/status/1443583689196072969
Mexico
https://twitter.com/UNEP_CEP/status/1443002265930018820
Jordan
https://twitter.com/EUinJordan/status/1443158022273052680
Argentina
https://twitter.com/AmadorSanchezUE/status/1441828327438700551
Washington
https://twitter.com/EUintheUS/status/1442521974878531594
https://twitter.com/michelebendall/status/1442859064162148359
Ghana
https://twitter.com/PlasticPunchGH/status/1442623939520475139
Cyprus
https://twitter.com/EUCYPRUS/status/1443489580020285441
https://twitter.com/CYMEPA1992/status/1443639427289473030
New York
Tanzania
Mauritius
Russia
Click on the image to read the full story
Angola
Click on the image to view the photo gallery
For this year's special edition of the #EUBeachCleanup campaign, we also went to the Belgian coast to follow the story of Simba the baby seal who was found lying on the beach with a plastic ring around its neck. Watch Simba’s story.
Simba’s story ends happily as he is rescued and healed and set free, back into the ocean, but unfortunately this is not the case for many sea animals. In Singapore, Raphaël Mang, took a deep dive underwater to explore what lies beneath. While admiring the colourful sea slugs and beautiful seahorses, he came across the sad sight of fish and crabs trapped in plastic wires and other litter from forks to ghost nets… Watch Raphaël’s story.
From deep below to way up high... not even the sky is the limit for the #EUBeachCleanup, we are also being followed from space!
https://twitter.com/defis_eu/status/1439208113916219393?s=21
The #EUBeachCleanup also presents creative ideas for a sustainable lifetsyle...
https://twitter.com/EUinJordan/status/1443608767019487234
https://twitter.com/PlasticPunchGH/status/1442897425564274694
https://twitter.com/PlasticPunchGH/status/1442901187259363329
We also remind you that ocean protection begins at home - cleaning up our neighbourhoods is an important first step to prevent litter from getting into the ocean and protecting our sealife!
#CleanUpTheWoods
Click on the image to view the photo gallery with some images from a clean-up by volunteers in Brussels, that took place on Sunday 26 September at Bois de La Cambre
The ocean thanks you!
https://twitter.com/EU_MARE/status/1439584884457099269
Explore our #EUBeachCleanup campaign page for more!
See also
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