Meghan Hodges
The world's oceans are under threat, but many organizations are working tirelessly to protect and restore them. Oceana, for example, is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. It leverages law, science, grassroots activism, advocacy, and strategic communications to win policy changes that protect marine life and ecosystems. Similarly, Greenpeace argues for large corporations to reduce their plastic footprint and tackles unsustainable industrial fishing practices, climate change, and ocean acidification. The Ocean Cleanup, founded by Boyan Slat, develops advanced technologies to rid the oceans of plastic, aiming to remove 90% of floating plastic by 2040. Other notable organizations include the Surfrider Foundation, the Marine Conservation Institute, Reef Check, and Ocean Blue Project, all of which play a crucial role in protecting the world's oceans through various initiatives and community engagement.
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What You'll Learn
- The Ocean Cleanup: Developing technologies to rid oceans of plastic
- Oceana: Advocacy group campaigning to end ocean pollution
- Greenpeace: Stop environmental crimes and promote peace
- Plastic Ocean Project: Solve plastic pollution through education and research
- Marine Conservation Institute: Identify and protect marine ecosystems
The Ocean Cleanup: Developing technologies to rid oceans of plastic
The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit organization with the ambitious goal of ridding the oceans of plastic. The organization has been researching, extracting, and monitoring plastic pollution in oceans and rivers worldwide for over ten years. Trillions of pieces of plastic currently pollute the oceans, with devastating effects on marine wildlife and ecosystems. As plastic degrades into microplastics, it can be ingested by wildlife and enter the human food chain.
The Ocean Cleanup employs a dual strategy to tackle this global crisis: intercepting plastic in rivers to prevent it from reaching the oceans, and cleaning up the plastic that has already accumulated in the oceans. The organization estimates that 1% of the world's rivers are responsible for 80% of the pollution in the seas. Therefore, they have developed river interception technologies, such as The Interceptor, to tackle these 1000 rivers and halt riverine pollution. As of June 2025, The Ocean Cleanup has removed over 30 million kilograms of trash from rivers and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a plastic accumulation zone with over 100,000,000 kilograms of plastic.
The Interceptor is a barrier for river cleanup that was unveiled in October 2019. The initial design consisted of long, floating barriers fixed to the seabed, attached to a central platform. The barriers direct the floating plastic to the platform, which removes the plastic from the water. The first Interceptors were deployed in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Klang, Malaysia. Since then, The Ocean Cleanup has continued to develop and improve the design, with deployments in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and the United States.
In addition to river interception technologies, The Ocean Cleanup is also developing ocean cleanup systems. In July 2021, they deployed System 002, also known as "Jenny", in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch for testing. The system was actively towed by two ships and gathered 28,000 kilograms of trash. The Ocean Cleanup aims to remove 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040 with its ocean cleanup systems and river interception technologies.
The Ocean Cleanup is a bold initiative that aims to address the significant challenge of restoring the ocean ecosystem. By removing plastic waste from the oceans, the organization hopes to positively impact wildlife, the food chain, and community health.
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Oceana: Advocacy group campaigning to end ocean pollution
Oceana is the world's largest international advocacy organisation dedicated solely to ocean conservation. It was established in 2001 by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Oak Foundation, Marisla Foundation, and Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Oceana has won more than 325 victories and protected over 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life.
The organisation leverages law, science, grassroots activism, advocacy, and strategic communications to win policy changes around the world. It campaigns to end major sources of ocean pollution, including oil, mercury, aquaculture, and shipping emissions. Oceana also advocates for the protection of vulnerable places in the oceans, such as the Arctic, the Aleutian Islands, the Mediterranean, and Chile's Juan Fernandez Islands.
One of Oceana's notable campaigns is the SeaChange Summer Party, which raised over $1.7 million for ocean conservation. The organisation also highlights the impact of plastic pollution, with Amazon reporting a 25% reduction in plastic use in just three years due to Oceana's efforts.
Oceana's work extends beyond pollution prevention. It also focuses on protecting marine life and habitats, achieving hundreds of concrete policy victories in this area. Oceana's campaigns have resulted in the protection of vulnerable marine areas and the restoration of marine ecosystems.
Through strategic, directed campaigns, Oceana achieves measurable outcomes for ocean conservation. By utilising various tools and engaging with communities, the organisation strives to create a sustainable future for our oceans.
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Greenpeace: Stop environmental crimes and promote peace
Greenpeace is a global organization that uses non-violent creative action to stop environmental crimes and promote peace. It was founded in 1971 by a small group of people who set sail in an old fishing boat to prevent a US nuclear weapons test off the coast of Alaska. Greenpeace's mission is to ensure the earth's ability to nurture life in all its diversity.
To achieve this, Greenpeace focuses on several key issues pertaining to the marine environment. One of its main goals is to reduce the flow of plastic into the oceans by advocating for corporations to decrease their plastic footprint. They also address unsustainable industrial fishing practices, climate change, and ocean acidification. Greenpeace has a vast network of activists and volunteers around the world who work together to create meaningful change.
Greenpeace lobbies and mobilizes members of the public to take action against environmental destruction. They engage in peaceful, non-violent direct action, such as physically acting to stop an immediate wrong at the scene of the crime. Their fleet of ships allows them to reach remote and difficult-to-access locations where environmental crimes occur. When direct physical action is not possible, Greenpeace emphasizes the importance of 'bearing witness' by having a physical presence at the scene, guided by the Quaker concept of taking action based on conscience.
Greenpeace also works behind the scenes to influence international treaties and conventions on environmental protection. They participate in COP climate conferences and engage with policymakers and diplomats at international forums to encourage stronger environmental protections. Through lobbying, Greenpeace ensures that their campaign demands are heard by decision-makers, including politicians and business leaders, urging them to take bold steps for the planet's protection.
Greenpeace played a significant role in raising public awareness of global warming in the 1990s. They formulated a sustainable development scenario for climate change mitigation and advocated for the early phase-out of ozone-depleting substances in the Montreal Protocol. In the same decade, they also developed CFC-free refrigerator technology, "Greenfreeze", in collaboration with the refrigerator industry. For their outstanding contributions to the protection of the Earth's ozone layer, Greenpeace was recognized by the United Nations Environment Programme in 1997.
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Plastic Ocean Project: Solve plastic pollution through education and research
Plastic pollution is a pressing issue, with trillions of pieces of plastic polluting our oceans and having a devastating impact on marine wildlife, ecosystems, and the human food chain. The Plastic Ocean Project (POP) is a non-profit organisation based in Wilmington, North Carolina, that is dedicated to tackling this crisis. POP aims to solve plastic pollution through education and research, outreach through art, and solutions through collaboration.
POP conducts scientific research to better understand plastic pollution and find solutions. They work with a diverse range of professionals, including storytellers, artists, writers, and filmmakers, to effectively communicate these issues to a broader audience. POP recognises the importance of collaboration and works with scientists, stakeholders, businesses, and political leaders to implement science-based solutions.
POP's initiatives include the Trees4Trash Cleanup Program, where volunteers pick up trash, and for every 25 pounds collected, a new tree is planted. They also have the Ocean Friendly Establishments program, which encourages the use of glass food containers instead of plastic ones to reduce microplastic ingestion. POP is also active in advocacy, having started a petition to grant whales legal personhood and designate them as ocean ambassadors, recognising the immense challenges faced by aquatic animals.
POP operates two research labs and is producing a feature film, "If the Ocean Could Talk-A Voice for the North Atlantic," to raise awareness about the North Atlantic Right Whale. POP's community outreach efforts include student projects, research posters, and global ambassador programs. They also host events such as the Trash'n Fash'n Show, which promotes creativity and sustainability, and Sustainable Summer, encouraging eco-friendly practices.
Through these comprehensive efforts, POP is making significant strides towards addressing plastic pollution, educating the public, and fostering collaboration to create a more sustainable future.
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Marine Conservation Institute: Identify and protect marine ecosystems
Marine Conservation Institute, formerly known as MCBI or Marine Conservation Biology Institute, is a non-profit organisation dedicated to identifying and protecting marine ecosystems. The institute has played a crucial role in designating marine protected areas (MPAs) and advocating for the conservation of sensitive marine ecosystems.
One of their notable achievements was their involvement in establishing three large marine national monuments in the U.S. territories of the Pacific Ocean in 2009. This effort was recognised by President George W. Bush, who praised the institute for its scientific contributions and lobbying work. MCBI also co-founded the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition in 2004 and released a statement signed by over 1,000 scientists from 69 countries, highlighting the importance of protecting deep-sea coral and sponge ecosystems.
In 2012, the Marine Conservation Institute launched the Marine Protection Atlas (MPAtlas), a global database of marine protected areas funded by the Waitt Foundation. This database provides valuable information on sites where human activities are limited to protect marine biodiversity. The institute also collaborates with other organisations, such as Sylvia Earle's Mission Blue, to raise awareness about the state of coastal waters in the U.S. and the need for stronger conservation measures.
The Blue Park Awards, first awarded in 2017, recognise outstanding marine protected areas that effectively limit human activities and demonstrate successful biodiversity conservation. As of February 2023, 5 Blue Park Awards have been presented to marine protected areas in the Pitcairn Islands, Panama, and Brazil for their exceptional marine wildlife conservation efforts.
The Marine Conservation Institute continues to play a vital role in identifying and protecting marine ecosystems through research, advocacy, and collaboration with various organisations. Their work has contributed significantly to global efforts in conserving and restoring the health of our oceans and the diverse marine life that depends on them.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several organizations dedicated to tackling ocean pollution, including:
- The Ocean Cleanup
- Oceana
- Ocean Blue Project
- Surfrider Foundation
- Greenpeace
- Plastic Ocean Project
- WWF
The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit organization that develops advanced technologies to rid the oceans of plastic. They aim to remove 90% of floating plastic by 2040 through ocean cleanup systems and river interception technologies.
Oceana is the world's largest international organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. They lead strategic campaigns and leverage law, science, grassroots activism, advocacy, and strategic communications to drive policy change. Oceana has won over 325 victories and protected over 4 million square miles of the ocean.
You can help tackle ocean pollution by joining and donating to organizations dedicated to this cause. Additionally, you can reduce your plastic footprint, advocate for sustainable practices, and participate in beach and river cleanups to make a positive impact on the health of our oceans.
