Today, June 5th is “World Environment Day 2025” and this year’s theme is “Beat Plastic Pollution”. It is a reminder of our growing dependence on plastic and the problems it creates for our environment, especially for our oceans due to mismanagement of plastic waste.
Plastic waste, including microplastics is choking marine ecosystems. It harms biodiversity through disease transmission, chemical pollution, entanglement, ingestion, and even introduction of invasive species. These impacts are visible along coastlines and surface waters unlike those beneath the surface.
Coral reefs support an incredible array of life in marine ecosystems, yet they remain largely out of sight and out of mind when it comes to discussion on plastic pollution with disproportionately little attention in public discourse and scientific policy. Unlike beaches littered with bottles or plastic bags caught in nets, the plastic waste that settles on reefs is less obvious but causes great harm to our reefs. Plastic debris on reefs can smother corals, block sunlight, introduce harmful microbes, and impair reproductive functions, all of which exacerbate reef degradation already accelerated by climate stressors.
Divers, citizen scientists, and reef researchers play a crucial role in reef clean-up and monitoring. But let’s face it: there’s only so much a diver can do. Coral reefs are often located in remote or difficult-to-access areas, and physical removal alone is neither scalable nor sustainable. This challenge demands a holistic approach such as interventions in plastic production and consumption, improved waste management practices, and expanded support for reef monitoring technologies and research such as underwater robotics and remote sensing.
As we mark World Environment Day, and form coalitions globally to address plastic pollution, let’s expand the conversation. Efforts to beat plastic pollution must include the invisible and remote corners of our planet like the coral reefs. This means more funding for underwater research, stronger policies targeting plastic use and disposal, and greater global cooperation to protect marine biodiversity. Marine plastic pollution is not just a surface issue, and efforts to beat plastic pollution should transcend the shorelines.
