New $3.4 billion initiative aims to counter plastics in oceans

From the newsletter

Africa is set to benefit from a $3.4 billion global drive under the newly launched Clean Oceans Initiative 2.0, which aims to tackle ocean plastic pollution by targeting coastal hotspots. The effort will scale up waste prevention and circular economy solutions from 2026 to 2030, focusing on regions with high plastic leakage into the ocean.

• According to the United Nations, if current trends continue, the amount of plastic waste entering aquatic ecosystems each year could triple from around 11 million tonnes in 2021 to 23–37 million tonnes by 2040. 

• Africa’s plastic waste is projected to rise from 18 to 116 million tonnes annually by 2060, posing an existential threat to marine life. Much of it enters oceans via open dumpsites, clogged drains and poorly managed rivers.

More details

• Launched at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France (9–13 June), under the theme “Accelerating action and mobilising all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean”, the Clean Oceans Initiative 2.0 (COI 2.0) is backed by major development banks including those of France, Germany and Italy, the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Asian Development Bank.

• It builds on the original Clean Oceans Initiative, launched in 2018, which in May met its goal of mobilising $4.57 billion in long-term financing. The funding has supported public and private sector projects focused on reducing plastic and microplastic pollution via better waste, wastewater and stormwater management, benefiting countries such as Egypt, South Africa, Togo, Senegal, Benin and Morocco.

• While the original initiative focused on plastic already in marine environments, COI 2.0 shifts focus upstream, emphasising waste prevention and circular economy solutions in coastal zones across Africa, Asia and Latin America, where poorly managed river systems are key pathways for plastic leakage.

• According to UNEP, an estimated 19–23 million tonnes of plastic waste leak into aquatic ecosystems annually. Though this is less than 0.5% of the 400 million tonnes of plastic produced annually, its impact is outsized. In marine environments, plastic persists for decades, breaking into microplastics that are now found across the food chain, including in humans.

• Africa’s coastal zones are among the world’s most vulnerable. Rapid urbanisation, population growth and rising consumption have outpaced investment in waste infrastructure. Without formal collection systems, many communities resort to open dumping or burning, which releases toxic emissions and funnels plastic waste into rivers like the Nile, Congo, Niger and Limpopo. During floods, plastic flows into waterways can surge tenfold.

• Plastic’s durability makes it commercially valuable but ecologically destructive. Some items recovered from ocean cleanups date back to the 1960s. As this waste accumulates, marine life suffers: nearly 1,000 species have been harmed by plastic entanglement or ingestion, including over 100 endangered species.This includes marine megafauna like whales and dugongs, which help regulate the climate by sequestering carbon in ocean systems. Their decline has ripple effects for ocean health and global climate goals.

• Even the smallest ocean life is affected. Microplastics harm zooplankton, which are vital for moving carbon through the ocean. They also impact phytoplankton, tiny plants that produce much of the world’s oxygen, reducing their growth and oxygen output.

• The social and economic stakes are equally high. Plastic pollution threatens livelihoods, food security and health. In many African nations, coastal economies depend on fishing, tourism and clean marine environments. Plastic-filled beaches and polluted waters undermine these sectors while burning plastic or ingesting contaminated fish poses long-term public health risks.

Our take

• Plastic pollution isn’t just a marine crisis, it’s a climate one. It endangers vital species like whales and turtles that help store carbon, meaning every plastic-choked coastline weakens ocean ecosystems and erodes the planet’s natural defense against climate change.

• By focusing on prevention rather than just clean-up, COI 2.0 provides an opportunity for Africa to shift from being a source of marine plastic pollution to becoming a leader in ocean stewardship. 

• By prioritising hotspots of plastic emissions and investing in upstream infrastructure, Africa has a unique opportunity to transform from a casualty of ocean plastic pollution into a global leader in marine protection and sustainable blue growth.