Petition for an International Treaty to

control Ocean Pollution

Plastic debris in the oceans is a serious danger to marine ecosystems, but also for our own
health. Once plastic has ended up in the ocean, it will not decompose. Water grinds plastic in to
microscopically small particles, microplastics, which travel through the food chain also to our
digestive systems. These plastic particles have been found to contain as much as million fold
levels of environmental toxics when compared with the surrounding sea water.
For our own wellbeing and for the wellbeing of our environment we have to prevent plastic from
getting in to our water systems. With international cooperation this can be achieved.
The rapid increase of plastic debris in the oceans of our planet has been noted, inter alia, in the
Rio+20 United Nations Sustainable Development Conference Outcome Document in 2012, but
there is still no comprehensive international treaty to tackle the issue.
We call upon decision-makers to actively promote a new UN treaty to control ocean pollution.
The aim of the treaty would be to prevent plastic pollution of oceans and promote reuse of plastic
waste.
Helsinki, 23rd of September 2015,
Suomen YK-liitto - UNA Finland
World Federation of United Nations Associations
UNA Armenia
UNA Denmark
UNA Gabon
UNA Greece
UNA Hungary
UNA Iceland
UNA Russia
UNA Spain

UNA Sweden
UNA Tanzania
UNA-UK
The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation
The Finnish Nature League
Keep the Archipelago Tidy
Zonta International District 20
Finnish Centre Youth
Social democratic youth
Federation of Green Youth and Students
The Left Youth of Finland

Together with the individual signatories listed in the attachment.

Globeshrinks is a campaign for sustainable development initiated by UNA Finland with its
member organizations and international networks since January 2014. The campaign has
concentrated on raising awareness of the threats of plastic pollution and the means we have to
curb the rapid increase of plastic waste. Since the beginning of the campaign we have received
support from several members of Finnish parliament and Finnish members of the European
parliament. In 2015, Sari Multala, a member of parliament, former member of Olympic committee
board and a three time world champion in the laser radial class, has promoted the campaign as
the Globeshrinks ambassador. Through the campaign events we have reached more than 200 000
teachers, students, politicians, NGO activist, fisherman and divers. The petition has been signed by
3689 individuals and 21 organizations. During the campaign, the Globeshrinks quiz of sustainable
development has been played online over 56 000 times. In addition, during the campaign the
audience could suggest names for the great garbage patch that has been formed in the middle of
the Pacific Ocean. The winner of the name contest was the name Trashlantis.