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The third UN Ocean Conference will be held in Nice from 9–13 June 2025: a crucial moment to remind world leaders that plastic pollution is still one of the biggest threats to our Ocean.
Ahead of the Conference, the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is calling for strong global action. They’re urging countries to treat the ocean as a core part of climate solutions and to support a powerful Global Plastics Treaty—one that tackles the problem at its source by cutting plastic production, not just improving recycling.
Inspired by AOSIS and the spirit of mutirão—collective action for the common good—water sport athletes from 15 countries have united in a message of solidarity.
As athletes who train and compete in oceans, rivers, and along coastlines, we’ve seen the plastic crisis up close.
From paddling through floating bottles to finding beaches littered with packaging, we experience firsthand the devastating impact of plastic pollution.
Every year, 19–23 million tonnes of plastic waste end up in rivers, lakes, and seas—often the very places we compete or train. Single-use plastics make up about half of all plastic waste, and we see them piling up along beaches and shorelines.
This isn’t just about litter—it’s a health issue too. Plastics release toxic chemicals, which have been found in human blood and even tap water.
For athletes whose performance depends on clean air, water, and their bodies, this pollution threatens not just the environment we love, but our own health and future in sport.
Plastic production is expected to triple by 2050 becoming one of the largest growth drivers of oil demand.
At this pace, we’ll be drowning in plastic, in our waters and lands. We need to change course now.
In March 2022, the UN Environment Assembly adopted a landmark resolution to develop an international, legally binding agreement to combat plastic pollution.
Since then, more than 170 countries have been meeting regularly to negotiate what’s now known as the Global Plastic Treaty.
With the final round of negotiations set to take place from 5 to 14 August 2025 in Geneva, this is a critical moment in the global fight against plastic pollution. If global leaders will commit to limit plastic production by signing an ambitious Global Plastic Treaty, this will be the first step to protect our oceans for all of us and the generations to come.