G. Do you think that the lifestyle of the inhabitants of your town or city reflects behavior that is in line with the concept of sustainable development? In your opinion, what should be improved?

1. This could be a
presentation about
your holiday on the
Greek island of
SKIATHOS

2. about walking on it’s
golden beaches

3. and swimming in it’s
turquoise waters

4. with dolphins

5. BUT it’s not 

6. It’s about Ocean Litter
A phenomenon which plagues seas worldwide
In the current age of globalization I see myself as a resident not only of Skiathos but of the world
We are all connected with one another
Litter from Skiathos could end up on Mallorca and vice versa
Most of my fellow citizens’ behavior is not in line with the concept of sustainable development
To get in line we need to better understand and address the problem

7. Ocean
97% of our planet’s water

8. Ocean
97% of our planet’s water
95% unexplored

9. Ocean
97% of our planet’s water
95% unexplored
93% absorption of manmade heat

10. Ocean
97% of our planet’s water
95% unexplored
93% absorption of manmade heat
90% of global trade

11. Ocean
97% of our planet’s water
95% unexplored
93% absorption of manmade heat
90% of global trade
71% planet coverage

12. Ocean
97% of our planet’s water
95% unexplored
93% absorption of manmade heat
90% of global trade
71% planet coverage
50% production of world’s oxygen

13. Ocean
97% of our planet’s water
95% unexplored
93% absorption of manmade heat
90% of global trade
71% planet coverage
50% production of world’s oxygen
30% absorption of manmade CO2 emissions

14. Ocean
97% of our planet’s water
95% unexplored
93% absorption of manmade heat
90% of global trade
71% planet coverage
50% production of world’s oxygen
30% absorption of manmade CO2 emissions
16% of human protein intake

15. Ocean
97% of our planet’s water
95% unexplored
93% absorption of manmade heat
90% of global trade
71% planet coverage
50% production of world’s oxygen
30% absorption of manmade CO2 emissions
16% of human protein intake
200 million jobs in fisheries alone

16. Ocean Litter
Definition: Manmade material, deliberately or
accidentally thrown into the marine environment
Facts: 95% of Ocean Litter is plastic
8 million tons of plastic dumped yearly
15-51 trillion pieces of floating plastic
236,000 tones of floating plastic

17. Ocean Litter
Definition: Manmade material, deliberately or
accidentally thrown into the marine environment
Facts: 95% of Ocean Litter is plastic
8 million tons of plastic dumped yearly
15-51 trillion pieces of floating plastic
236,000 tones of floating plastic
By 2050 our oceans could have more
plastics than fish by weight

18. Ocean Litter
Definition: Manmade material, deliberately or
accidentally thrown into the marine environment
Facts: 95% of Ocean Litter is plastic
8 million tons of plastic dumped yearly
15-51 trillion pieces of floating plastic
236,000 tones of floating plastic
By 2050 our oceans could have more
plastics than fish by weight
Why? Collection and treatment costs
Limited awareness of effects
Limited alternative materials
Microplastic collection not possible

19. Ocean Litter Effect
Biota
Entanglement
Consumption of plastics
Rafting of invasive species to foreign territories
New habitat creation
Existing habitat alteration

20. Ocean Litter Effect
Biota
Entanglement
Consumption of plastics
Rafting of invasive species to foreign territories
New habitat creation
Existing habitat alteration
People
Food chain destabilization
Decrease of quality of life
Decrease of recreational opportunities
Loss of aesthetical value

21. Ocean Litter Effect
Biota
Entanglement
Consumption of plastics
Rafting of invasive species to foreign territories
New habitat creation
Existing habitat alteration
People
Food chain destabilization
Decrease of quality of life
Decrease of recreational opportunities
Loss of aesthetical value
Business
Decrease in tourism
Decrease in fishing

22. Enemy of the
Ocean
ALDFG: Abandoned/Lost
Derelict Fishing Gears
“Ghost” fishing: ALDFG keep
on capturing or entangling
animals unintentionally
70% of floating plastic weight
is fishing related
1960s: green materials used
for fishing gear were replaced by
more robust plastic ones

23. Enemy of the
Ocean
Plastic never truly decomposes
It disintegrates into fragments
which are eaten by biota that
leads to their death and to the
disruption of the food chain
Plastic Bags were invented by
Gustaf Thulin Sten in 1965 as a
green answer to paper ones
2010s: 10% of all single-use
plastic bags made each year end
up in the ocean

24. Enemy of the
Ocean
Cigarettes
5.6 trillion produced yearly
40%-50% discarded improperly
40% of total items collected at
the Mediterranean Sea - higher
than the global average
Dangerous chemicals
contained that can enter the
water stream close to the shores
and pollute the Mediterranean
coastline

25. 4.7%
8.6%
0.69%
0.0%
1.0%
2.0%
3.0%
4.0%
5.0%
6.0%
7.0%
8.0%
9.0%
10.0%
% Marine Litter
Count (n x 10ˆ10)
% Marine Litter
Weight (t)
% Square
Kilometers
Mediterranean Sea
versus Total Ocean
Own Worst Enemy
Mediterranean countries account
for 30% of global tourism
High shipping volume
High coastal population
Restricted exchange with Atlantic Ocean

26. 4.7%
8.6%
0.69%
0.0%
1.0%
2.0%
3.0%
4.0%
5.0%
6.0%
7.0%
8.0%
9.0%
10.0%
% Marine Litter
Count (n x 10ˆ10)
% Marine Litter
Weight (t)
% Square
Kilometers
Mediterranean Sea
versus Total Ocean
Own Worst Enemy
Mediterranean countries account
for 30% of global tourism
High shipping volume
High coastal population
Restricted exchange with Atlantic Ocean
Greece has the longest Mediterranean
coastline
Aegean Sea is mostly a source rather
than a receptor of floating litter
The North Aegean Sea - Skiathos island -
has relatively high concentration of
floating litter

27. Skiathos
Own Worst Enemy
Greece’s tourism has exploded in
the past decade
2008: less than 16 million tourists
2017: record of 30 million expected

28. Skiathos
Own Worst Enemy
Greece’s tourism has exploded in
the past decade
2008: less than 16 million tourists
2017: record of 30 million expected
7% growth versus 2016 - almost double
the global industry average
Skiathos airport arrivals growth of 22% -
higher than the Greek average of 14%
Skiathos’s Rapid Urbanization - see red
areas - from 1% in 1945 to 13% predicted
for 2020

29. Some Policy History
1974: Regional Seas Programme under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - coordination for the
protection of the marine environment
1975: Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (London
Convention) - prevents dumping of wastes or other matter from all sources
1983: Marine Pollution Convention (MARPOL) - prohibits discharge of waste from all marine vessels of any type
whatsoever, from merchant ships to fixed or floating platforms to non-commercial ships like pleasure craft
1994: The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) - overarching framework
States shall take, individually or jointly as appropriate, all measures within this Convention that are necessary
to prevent, reduce and control pollution of the marine environment from any source
1995: The United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization's Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (FAO) -
voluntary guide on provision of port-reception litter facilities, storage of garbage and reduction in ALDFG
1995: The Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities
(GPA) - the only global intergovernmental mechanism directly addressing the connectivity between
terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems

30. Some Policy History
1974: Regional Seas Programme under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - coordination for the
protection of the marine environment
1975: Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (London
Convention) - prevents dumping of wastes or other matter from all sources
1983: Marine Pollution Convention (MARPOL) - prohibits discharge of waste from all marine vessels of any type
whatsoever, from merchant ships to fixed or floating platforms to non-commercial ships like pleasure craft
1994: The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) - overarching framework
States shall take, individually or jointly as appropriate, all measures within this Convention that are necessary
to prevent, reduce and control pollution of the marine environment from any source
1995: The United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization's Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (FAO) -
voluntary guide on provision of port-reception litter facilities, storage of garbage and reduction in ALDFG
1995: The Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities
(GPA) - the only global intergovernmental mechanism directly addressing the connectivity between
terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems
Only as late as November 2005 was the problem of marine plastic pollution officially
recognized by the United Nations General Assembly

31. Some Mediterranean Policy History
1974: The Convention for Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution (Barcelona Convention) under the
UNEP Regional Seas Programme - coordination for the protection of the marine environment
1975: Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) - 1st UNEP initiative under Regional Seas Programme - assist countries in
addressing challenges of marine environmental degradation
1995: MAP Phase II - ensure sustainable management of natural marine and land resources; protect the marine
environment and coastal zones; protect nature; strengthen solidarity amongst Mediterranean coastal states;
contribute to the improvement of the quality of life
2006: Keep the Mediterranean Litter Free Campaign under MARPOL/MAP - public awareness and education
campaign implemented by regional NGOs such as the Mediterranean Information Office for Environment,
Culture and Sustainable Development (MIOECSDE), the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association
(HELMEPA), and Clean Up Greece
2012: Honolulu Strategy and Commitment adoption - set of strategies to reduce ocean litter
2013: Marine Litter Regional Plan (MLRP) - first regional sea committed to legally binding measures, programs, and
related implementation timetables on marine litter management at regional and national levels prepared by
the Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIOECSDE),
the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA), and Clean up Greece

32. Ocean Ally
Honolulu Strategy
Goals - Reduced amount and impact of:
• Land-based sources of marine debris introduced into the sea
• Sea-based sources of marine debris, including solid waste; lost cargo; ALDFG and abandoned vessels
• Accumulated marine debris on shorelines, in benthic habitats, and in pelagic waters

33. Ocean Ally
Honolulu Strategy
Goals - Reduced amount and impact of:
• Land-based sources of marine debris introduced into the sea
• Sea-based sources of marine debris, including solid waste; lost cargo; ALDFG and abandoned vessels
• Accumulated marine debris on shorelines, in benthic habitats, and in pelagic waters
Strategies
• 6Rs - Reduce Redesign Refuse Re-use Recycle Recover
• Conduct targeted education and outreach to commercial fishers as the primary source of ALDFG
• Develop partnerships and promote stewardship concepts among waterfront hotels, restaurants, and
businesses to adopt beaches, diving sites and shorelines

34. Ocean Ally
Honolulu Strategy
Goals - Reduced amount and impact of:
• Land-based sources of marine debris introduced into the sea
• Sea-based sources of marine debris, including solid waste; lost cargo; ALDFG and abandoned vessels
• Accumulated marine debris on shorelines, in benthic habitats, and in pelagic waters
Strategies
• 6Rs - Reduce Redesign Refuse Re-use Recycle Recover
• Conduct targeted education and outreach to commercial fishers as the primary source of ALDFG
• Develop partnerships and promote stewardship concepts among waterfront hotels, restaurants, and
businesses to adopt beaches, diving sites and shorelines
Examples
• Taxes on plastic bag use is highly effective - Ireland’s plastic bag use has decreased 90% 2015 vs 2002
• Rewards for fishermen who retrieve ALDFG is highly effective with high participation rate
• NGOs & Private Initiatives
a. Awareness raising and education activities
b. Data collection and cleanup operations
c. Mobilizing local authorities and other partners

35. Ocean Ally
HELMEPA To Save the Seas - Greek NGO
Organizer of International Coastal Cleanup (ICC)
day in September & European Cleanup Day in May:
10,596 volunteers took part in 201 cleanups
The population of Greece is 10 million whereas
Hong Kong with only 7 million gathered almost
80,000 volunteers in ICC day only
Skiathos
One of 14 project areas included in HELMEPA’s
2016 environment activities
Questionnaire answered by school students
showed environmental awareness as:
a. 95% believe environment protection is their
own duty
b. 85% recycle regularly
c. 50% consider litter the most serious
environmental problem

36. Ocean Ally
All sea areas should be marine
protected areas
The National Marine Park of Alonisos Northern
Sporades (NMPANS) - established in 1992
1970s: first efforts to protect the area and
especially the Mediterranean monk seal
One of the largest marine protected areas in
the Mediterranean but only one of two in Greece
Zone C - Piperi Island: public access is
prohibited
Other Zones: are open to tourists for
recreational activities and limited amateur fishing

37. Ocean Ally
The Ocean Cleanup - Largest Cleanup in History
Retrieve plastic from the 5 ocean gyres before
they disperse and disintegrate into microplastics
The Seabin Project - For Cleaner Oceans
Floating debris interception device designed to
be installed in any calm water body
Take 3 - #Take3fortheSea
Urging people to take 3 pieces of rubbish when
leaving a beach and posting it on social networks
4Oceans - One Bracelet One Pound
Cleanup activities organizer with 5 vessels
cleaning the oceans 7 days/week

38. Please Allow Me
…to make a difference
Our ocean is vital and we are destroying it. By
hurting animals we are hurting ourselves.
International efforts are not enough. Each and
every single one of us is responsible for saving
the biggest part of our planet. We need to
increase awareness. From locals to tourists and
from powerful CEOs to underprivileged
fishermen. To be able to play and teach my
children and grand-children beach racquetball, I
wish to start a company that can contribute to
the improvement of the sea condition of
Skiathos, the Mediterranean and also the world.

39. T
H
A
N
K
Y
O
U


40. Bibliography
• The Economist. (2017 May 27). The marine world: Deep Trouble. Ocean Warning.
• Katsanevakis, S., Verriopoulos, G., Nicolaidou, A. & Thessalou-Legaki M. (2007). Effect of marine litter on the benthic megafauna of coastal soft bottoms: A manipulative field experiment.
Marine Pollution Bulletin, 54, 771–778.
doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2006.12.016
• Lea, L. (2017 June 5). Despite Economic Problems, Greece's Tourism Looking Good In 2017. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/lealane/2017/06/05/despite-economic-
problems-greece-tourism-looking-good-in-2017-using-new-strategies/#2a256f6c541f
• Neumann, C., Bryan, T., Pendleton, L., Kaup, A& Glavan, J. (2015). The Ocean and Us. 56pp. Norway: AGEDI Abu Dhabi, UAE/GRID-Arendal. Retrieved from
https://cld.bz/bookdata/mJkQaqu/basic-html/page-1.html
• Niaounakis, M. (2017). Management of Marine Plastic Debris: Prevention, Recycling and Waste Management. Oxford: William Andrew. Retrieved from
https://books.google.hu/books?id=hWI8DgAAQBAJ&lpg=PR3&dq=Management%20of%20Marine%20Plastic%20Debris%3A%20Prevention%2C%20Recycling%20and%20Waste%20Manage
ment&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false
• NOAA & UNEP (2011). The Honolulu Strategy: A Global Framework for Prevention and Management of Marine Debris. Retrieved from
http://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/12000/Honolulu%20strategy.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
• The Ocean Conservancy. (2017). International Coastal Cleanup Annual Report. Washington. Retrieved from
https://oceanconservancy.org/trash-free-seas/international-coastal-cleanup/annual-data-release/
• Politikos, D. V, Ioakeimidis, C., Papatheodorou, G. & Tsiaras, K. (2017). Modeling the Fate and Distribution of Floating Litter Particles in the Aegean Sea (E. Mediterranean). Frontiers Marine
Science, 4, 191.
doi: 10.3389/fmars.2017.00191
• Samara, F., Tampekis, S., Sakellariou, S., Christopoulou, O. & Sfougaris, A. (2016). Comparison of the Land Uses and Sustainable Development in Small Islands: The Case of Skiathos Island,
Greece In Urban Agriculture (Chapter 4).
doi: 10.5772/62423
• UNEP (2016). Marine plastic debris and microplastics – Global lessons and research to inspire action and guide policy change. United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi. Retrieved from
https://wedocs.unep.org/rest/bitstreams/11700/retrieve
• UNEP/MAP (2015). Marine Litter Assessment in the Mediterranean. Athens. Retrieved from
https://wedocs.unep.org/rest/bitstreams/9739/retrieve
• UNEP/MAP (2016). Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development 2016-2025. Valbonne. Plan Bleu, Regional Activity Centre. Retrieved from
https://planbleu.org/sites/default/files/publications/mssd_2016-2025_final.pdf
• “http://www.unep.org/unepmap/who-we-are/mediterranean-action-plan”
• “http://www.helmepa.gr/”
• “http://www.gnto.gov.gr/sites/default/files/files_basic_pages/Xatzidakis_2015.pdf”
• “http://www.noaa.gov/oceans-coasts”
• “http://www.take3.org/about/”
• “http://seabinproject.com/”
• “https://www.theoceancleanup.com/”
• “https://4ocean.com/”

41. Visual Information
• Slides 1-4, 7-15, 38:
Personal collection
• Slide 5, 27, 28, 39:
https://pixabay.com
• Slide 16-18:
https://www.cambridgesustainablefood.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Plastic-Packaging.jpg
• Slide 19-21:
a. https://gr.pinterest.com/pin/319826011014816050/
b. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/11/japans-ocean-wilderness/skerry-photography#/03-yellow-goby-peeks-714.jpg
c. http://news.abs-cbn.com/life/05/11/17/look-dead-whale-serves-as-wake-up-call-on-plastic-pollution
d. https://thehappinessprojectlondon.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/151.jpg
• Slide 22, 23:
http://www.grida.no/resources/6933
• Slide 24:
https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2017/06/08/ocean-trash-numbers/:
• Slide 25, 26 data for graph:
Niaounakis, M. (2017). Management of Marine Plastic Debris: Prevention, Recycling and Waste Management. Oxford: William Andrew.
https://books.google.hu/books?id=hWI8DgAAQBAJ&lpg=PR3&dq=Management%20of%20Marine%20Plastic%20Debris%3A%20Prevention%2C%20Recycling%20and%20Waste%20M
anagement&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false
• Slide 27, 28:
Samara, F., Tampekis, S., Sakellariou, S., Christopoulou, O. & Sfougaris, A. (2016). Comparison of the Land Uses and Sustainable Development in Small Islands: The Case of Skiathos
Island, Greece In Urban Agriculture (Chapter 4).
doi: 10.5772/62423
• Slide 35:
http://www.helmepa.gr/
• Slide 36:
https://goo.gl/images/om7sU2
• Slide 37:
http://www.take3.org/about/
http://seabinproject.com/
https://www.theoceancleanup.com/
https://4ocean.com/