The North Africa-Tunisia office of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) called on Tunisian citizens on Monday to join its “Adopt a Beach” programme, aimed at monitoring and collecting data on marine debris and raising awareness about plastic pollution in the Mediterranean.
To participate in this initiative, interested citizens must form an adoption team, collectively subscribe to the programme, choose a beach, and take responsibility for its maintenance. They will count and record the waste during each visit and repeat the process 2 to 4 times per year to ensure the cleanliness and preservation of the beach.
These actions will contribute to data-driven solutions and influence relevant organisations to combat plastic pollution in Tunisia. According to the WWF, Tunisia is one of the Mediterranean countries most affected by plastic pollution.
According to the Ministry of Environment, the country generates over 2.5 million tonnes of waste per year, with plastic waste accounting for about 10% of this total. Some 500,000 tonnes of plastic waste end up in the sea each year, causing severe environmental damage to marine ecosystems and harming human health.
Launched in collaboration with WWF offices in Greece and Turkey, this youth-led programme aims to encourage volunteers, schools, and organisations to “adopt” specific beaches in Tunisia, Greece, and Turkey to monitor and collect data on marine debris.
By participating in this initiative, young people and volunteer groups from across the Mediterranean can actively contribute to reducing plastic waste and protecting the planet’s natural resources.
The collected data will help establish a “pan-Mediterranean platform” for monitoring marine debris to combat plastic pollution in the Mediterranean.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse