We are so excited to tell you about a major victory that our supporters helped achieve. Yesterday at the UN Ocean Conference, the Colombian government announced it will create four new official marine reserves, including one expanding the fully protected Malpelo Sanctuary of Fauna and Flora. Colombia will now surpass the goal of protecting 30% of its waters eight years before the 2030 deadline! The initiative to protect 30% of the global ocean by the year 2030, referred to as 30x30, is a target that scientists have indicated is necessary in order to prevent irreversible loss of marine life. A huge thank you to everyone who made their voice heard on the petition to protect the Eastern Tropical Pacific marine corridor. And, of course, this win would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of Colombia’s environmental, fishing, and maritime authorities, along with scientists, the private fishing sector, nonprofits, and the people of Colombia. With this remarkable action, Colombia will strengthen local fisheries, sustainable livelihoods, and the protection of marine biodiversity in its native waters and throughout the Eastern Tropical Pacific marine corridor. If you’d like to move another campaign to create sanctuaries close to victory, consider adding your name to the brand-new petition to expand the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument 🌎 ⛵️
More than 380 million tons of plastic are produced each year.
Less than ten percent of it is recycled. The rest is either burned or ends up in landfills and the ocean, polluting the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the places we call home. Often, this pollution most negatively affects communities of color and low-income neighborhoods that are already disproportionately impacted by climate change and toxic disasters.
Without action, plastic pollution will only get worse. Industry is investing hundreds of millions of dollars into expanding capacity and is projected to triple plastic production by 2050. From extraction to production to pollution, these activities will wreak havoc on the health of people and the planet.
