Ocean pollution is a complex problem. It threatens ecosystems, human health and economies, but a lack of data about its impact means relatively little is being done to prevent and address it.

Over two years, Back to Blue brought together stakeholders from across the UN system, science, industry, policy, business and finance to understand ocean pollution and how to tackle it. The roadmap is a synthesis of this work.

The roadmap sets out an ambitious, strategic framework for a global group of stakeholder organisations to build a comprehensive evidence base about the impact of ocean pollution. It is designed to spark action to achieve the vision of a global ocean free from the harmful impacts of pollution by 2050.

Feb 2022

The Invisible Wave: Getting to Zero Chemical Pollution in the Ocean, makes the case for chemical pollution in the ocean to be treated with the same gravity—and urgency—as plastic pollution. The findings of the report show that marine chemical pollution poses a serious and escalating threat to ocean health, that demands urgent, coordinated action. Marine chemical pollution, plastic waste, and climate change are interlinked challenges. Pollution can exacerbate the adverse effects of climate change. Simultaneously, the impacts of climate change, such as rising water temperatures, heightened acidification, and increased salinity, can amplify the harmful effects of chemicals in the marine environment. This damage has cascading effects on the functioning and resilience of ocean ecosystems. The impacts of ocean pollution are likely to worsen as the increasing production and use of chemicals result in more pollutants entering the ocean.