Global awareness, research activities and network to address ocean microplastic pollution

Plastic pollution is one of today’s most pressing global environmental challenges and a direct threat to sustainable development. Without meaningful actions, plastic waste emissions into aquatic ecosystems are expected to nearly triple by 2040.

Significant efforts and resources are needed to establish a monitoring baseline for marine plastic pollution and to assess, characterize and understand the fate of marine plastic pollution with the ultimate goal of ensuring marine ecosystem health, seafood safety and human wellbeing.

The Satellite Event aims at increasing the awareness about plastic pollution providing new insights, knowledge, and solutions. It will offer a platform to share recent scientific findings, discuss international initiatives to build capacity around the world (such as the IAEA NUTEC initiative) or inform policy-makers about (such as the policy brief from the North Atlantic Microplastic Centre), and exchange on successful examples of how research is contributing to implementing ocean protection by effective input to large intergovernmental organizations such as the UN and EU in preparation to the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic pollution.

The United Nations Ocean Decade conference will take place in Barcelona from 10-12 April at the Barcelona International Convention Centre (CCIB). More than 50 on-site satellite events will take place at the main venue and will be open to all registered participants in the conference.Additionally, around 80 off-site satellite events open to the public will take place in different alternative locations in Barcelona from 8 to 9 April.These parallel events will provide additional opportunities for networking and discussion and serve the attendees to know and contribute as main actors with solutions to face the Ocean Decade’s challenges.

Hosts: NORCE (Norway) and IAEA (Monaco)

Co-hosts: AIR Centre, SINTEF Oceans, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, European Atomic Agency

Contact person: Alessio Gomiero (algo@norceresearch.no)

Pre-registration to the satellite event (https://forms.office.com/e/HQ949uAcqn?origin=lprLink) for room capacity control)