14.1 By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

While freshwater and marine specialists have largely worked in silos, nature has always worked as one: the land, freshwater, and ocean ecosystems are closely interlinked and interdependent. The source-to-sea approach aims at bridging existing gaps by connecting the ecosystems’ management and tackling maritime pollution at the source, upstream. Managing land, freshwater, coastal and marine resources holistically – from source to sea – is critical to protect our oceans, and manage our freshwater as well as land resources sustainably.

Almost 26 million tonnes of plastic waste are generated in Europe every year and around 80% of marine litter is plastic. It causes one of the most pressing environmental problems, posing threats on aquatic life, ecosystems and human health due to contamination of food and drinking water. It has also important economic impacts on coastal communities, tourism and fisheries.

The sixth Our Ocean Youth Leadership Summit is an integral part of the Our Ocean Conference, which will take place in Panama on February 27 – March 1, 2023. Sustainable Ocean Alliance is proud to co-host the Summit, in cooperation with Our Ocean Conference organizers. Programming will be delivered in English, with simultaneous translation in Spanish.