Saving Phu Quoc’s Coral Reefs: Against Plastic Pollution and Ghost Gear

Saving Phu Quoc’s Coral Reefs:  Against Plastic Pollution and Ghost Gear

Coral Reefs vs. Ghost Gear  Mr. Ly Vanh Tha, clad in a diving suit, gradually disappears into the embrace of the rolling ocean waves. He diligently cleans coral reefs for hours beneath the sea, meticulously untangling every ghost net and cutting each piece of entwined fishing line. Tha has dedicated over 13 years to this […]

Izmir Aims to End Plastic Waste in Tourism with Plastic Smart Cities

Izmir Aims to End Plastic Waste in Tourism with Plastic Smart Cities

The Plastic Smart Izmir Tourism Workshop was held in Urladam, Izmir within the scope of the 15th European Waste Reduction Week held between 18 to 26 November 2023.  With the slogan “End plastic waste in tourism“, the Plastic Smart Izmir Tourism Workshop was co-organised by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality’s Climate Change and Zero Waste Department […]

The city of Izmir has a new plan of action to tackle plastic pollution

The city of Izmir has a new plan of action to tackle plastic pollution

Since August this year, Izmir, the third most populous city in Turkey, has a new Plan of Action to tackle plastic pollution. The Plan is an important milestone of the engagement Izmir has taken since it joined WWF’s Plastic Smart Cities Initiative in 2019. The mayor of Izmir, Tunç Soyer, explained some of the main […]

Mediterranean Plastic Smart Cities Convene in Venice

Mediterranean Plastic Smart Cities Convene in Venice

Plastic Smart Cities across the Mediterranean region convened in Venice, Italy in June 2022, to exchange best practices, lessons learned, and strategies deployed to combat the growing plastic waste stream that threatens coastal ecosystems across the Mediterranean. WWF representatives along with city officials arrived in Venice for a two-day exchange on June 22-23, including site visits across […]

Dubrovnik Adopts Action Plan to Tackle Plastic Pollution

Dubrovnik Adopts Action Plan to Tackle Plastic Pollution

The Plastic Smart City of Dubrovnik has formally adopted the first plan of actions to tackle its plastic pollution by 2026, including key measures to reduce waste production and improve waste collection and disposal. The Plan signed by Mayor Mato Franković was developed in collaboration with the Association for Nature, Environment and Sustainable Development Sunce and […]

Mediterranean Cities Break Out of the Plastic Trap

Mediterranean Cities Break Out of the Plastic Trap

The Mediterranean Sea, despite its natural beauty and tourist attractions, is turning into a dangerous plastic trap, with record levels of plastic pollution that threaten marine species and human health. Every year, about half a million tonnes of plastic enters Mediterranean waters – the equivalent of dumping 33,800 plastic bottles into the sea every minute. One-third of plastic […]