#EUBeachCleanup: Together to protect marine life

18.09.2021

From the heart of Europe to the world… the #EUBeachCleanup campaign together with the UN and The Smurfs, reached its peak on World Coastal Clean-up Day, and across the globe, people continue cleaning beaches, lakes, rivers and other areas in their neighbourhood, to prevent litter from getting into the ocean, and protect our fascinating marine life from being destroyed.

 

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

 

Remote video URL

 

Tanzania

 

Remote video URL

 

Remote video URL

 

Mauritius

 

Group of people talking

 

Russia

 

Volunteers cleaning the beach

Click on the image to read the full story

 

Angola

 

Volunteers cleaning the beach

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.

 

Remote video URL

 

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.

 

Remote video URL

 

 

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

 

Image
#EUBeachCleanup - Belgium (Brussels)

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