The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA), has prepared this Pacific Marine Litter Action Plan (MLAP). The primary focus of MLAP is marine sourced litter, but it also covers terrestrial based marine litter point sources as outlined in the Cleaner Pacific 2025. The action plan sets out the policy context and key actions to minimise marine litter across the Pacific islands countries and territories. The implementation of the Pacific MLAP is a core component of SPREP’s role in assisting the Pacific island countries and territories to address environmental and marine pollution issues. The Pacific MLAP represents a significant opportunity for Pacific island countries and territories to take a major step forward to protect our Pacific Ocean from marine litter. It was endorsed and approved by the 1st SPREP Executive Board Meeting in Apia Samoa in September 2018. It was also endorsed in principle at the 2nd Clean Pacific Roundtable in Suva Fiji in August 2018. Furthermore, it is worth noting that the 49th Forum Leaders Communique held in Nauru in September 2018, in recognition of waste as a critical issue for the Blue Pacific, reaffirmed their commitment to eliminate marine litter and the urgency of implementing the Pacific Marine Litter Action Plan.
