Ambitious roadmap to reduce pollution in the Mediterranean Sea

Rome – Nice, 11 June 2025  The Mediterranean Sea, a cradle of civilization and a hub of global commerce, is now facing a severe environmental crisis. Despite covering less than 1% of the global ocean surface, it supports one of the Earth’s most significant concentrations of marine and coastal biodiversity and facilitates 25% of global maritime traffic and one of the world’s largest tourism industries. But this ecological and economic significance has come at a high cost. The Mediterranean is now among the most polluted seas in Europe, with dangerously high levels of sulfur and nitrogen oxides, and vast quantities of plastic waste threatening marine life and coastal communities alike.

WWF and the EU BlueMissionMed project have unveiled an ambitious roadmap to effectively reduce pollution in the Mediterranean Sea by 2030. Key recommendations are included in the report Depolluting the Mediterranean, launched at the United Nations Oceans Conference in Nice, on 11 June 2025.

The report analyses the impacts of seven key economic sectors – Agriculture, Aquaculture, Fisheries, Tourism, Transport and Ports, Plastics Industry, wastewater, and Solid Waste Management – on the aquatic system, like excessive nutrient and chemical inputs to plastic pollution, marine litter and increased greenhouse gases that are affecting marine wildlife and habitats while threatening also the health and livelihood of local communities.  

For all these sectors, the report provides a detailed roadmap of actions that governments, and authorities, businesses and communities can take to prevent, minimise and eliminate pollution and a platform of 87 priority solutions, including many technological innovations that promote circular economy.

Early progress is promising; a recent EU report shows marine litter on EU coastlines has already declined by nearly one-third since 2015-16. “The Mediterranean is not only one of the world’s richest reservoirs of biodiversity—it is also among the most threatened. The good news is that pollution is a solvable problem, if we work together across sectors and borders. Through the BlueMissionMed Project, we’re demonstrating that many solutions already exist; what’s needed now is the right investment, stronger governance, and broader public support to scale them effectively. Our mission is clear: a depolluted Mediterranean by 2030.” says Stefania Campogianni Regional Project Manager on Plastic Pollution from WWF Mediterranean.

Key pillars of the initiative include:

• Improving recycling and promoting refill and reuse models across all sectors.
• Building financial and governance frameworks to upscale circular solutions.
• Development of truly biodegradable plastics and setting clear standards for their use.
• Smart monitoring tools powered by AI and digital technologies to support targeted value chain interventions.
• Adoption of nature-based solutions for cleaning polluted waterways.

“The Depolluting the Med Report, launched today, is a call to action. It reflects our shared commitment across the Mediterranean to restore marine and coastal ecosystems, protect biodiversity, and reduce pollution at its source. Through BlueMissionMed, we are contributing in structuring and empowering a Mediterranean ecosystem grounded in science, cooperation, and bold policy choices. We are turning the Mediterranean into a lighthouse of solutions that can be replicated elsewhere and help deliver the EU Mission for Ocean and Waters” said Fedra Francocci, Researcher at CNR, leading the EU BlueMissionMed project.

Critically, the roadmap highlights the need for greater collaboration between EU and non-EU countries, harmonized regulations, capacity-building, and regional networking.

While 24% of proposed solutions are ready for immediate implementation, 58% still require development. Overcoming barriers, especially in financing, governance, and public engagement, is essential to success.

As 2030 approaches, the new report makes a bold call to action for governments, industries, and citizens across the Mediterranean to protect the sea that connects us all.

For more information contact Stefania Campogianni, Regional Project Manager on Plastic Pollution, WWF Mediterranean
scampogianni@wwfmedpo.org