For the first time ever, Commonwealth Sport is partnering with the Royal Commonwealth Society to tackle plastic pollution. The Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign will bring together athletes and communities to prevent one million pieces of plastic from entering Commonwealth waterways before the Games commence in 2026, with this forming a central part of activities whilst the Baton activation takes place in each nation.
More than 12 million tonnes of plastic enter the oceans each year, and by 2050, it’s estimated that there will be more plastic than fish in the sea. Plastic suffocates and kills birds, fish, and sea mammals, it infects and destroys coral, mangroves, and other vital habitats. Harmful microplastics from plastic waste enter the human body through contaminated food and water, and there is currently no known way to remove them.
The Commonwealth accounts for one-third of the world’s ocean waters, and almost half of Commonwealth countries are Small Island Developing States that disproportionately suffer from the impact of plastic pollution. Together we must take action to prevent plastic from entering our waterways and help fulfil United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14, ‘Life Below Water’.
The Royal Commonwealth Society’s Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign will prevent one million pieces of plastic from entering Commonwealth waterways.
The campaign combines education and local action to encourage people to reduce their plastic waste, highlight alternatives, and reduce pollution across the Commonwealth. During the King’s Baton Relay, the activities will shine a light on initiatives taking place in each nation and territory and crucially bring together communities to clean up plastic around waterways and oceans.
