Plastic pollution in our ocean is one of the greatest environmental challenges we face today. Without urgent action, it is estimated that by 2040, 23-37 million tonnes of plastic waste could enter the ocean each year. This threatens marine ecosystems, biodiversity, food security, and public health worldwide.
To raise awareness about marine life, the United Nations is teaming up with the European Union and the Smurfs to inspire everyone to clean beaches, riverbanks and coastal areas through its annual #EUBeachCleanup campaign. World Cleanup Day 2025 will be on Friday 20 September – but any event organised between 3 June and 31 October counts!
How can I take part?
The campaign is open to everyone. Individuals, schools, businesses, and local communities are invited to join. Whether you organise your own clean-up or participate in a nearby event, your actions make a difference.
Register as an individual or as part of a team via the United Nations’ ActNow app. You can then log your clean-up activities and track their impact. The number of actions will be tallied up, and will showcase how individual and team actions can make a difference, helping turn individual actions into a collective force for change.
Why now?
The world’s focus is on the ocean with the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference held in Nice, France from 9 to 13 June. The need for collective action is clearer than ever. Co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, the conference brings together governments, civil society, indigenous peoples, scientists, the private sector and others to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Life Below Water.
But protecting our oceans requires more than dialogue – it depends on the commitment and actions of everyone, everywhere.
During the 2024 EUBeachCleanup campaign, over 12,000 volunteers took part in 367 events across 53 countries, removing thousands of kilograms of plastic waste. These clean-ups not only remove visible litter but also raise awareness of how our daily choices – from plastic use to waste disposal – impact ocean health.
Clean-ups like these play a crucial role in advancing multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By addressing environmental degradation, promoting sustainable consumption and production, protecting biodiversity, improving public health, and strengthening community collaboration, they provide a concrete way for people to contribute to global sustainability efforts.
Join the #EUBeachCleanup, log your action with ActNow, and be part of the solution!