The increasing amount of debris in the world’s oceans has become a major cause for concern. There are many different types of marine debris. It travels freely and does not recognise national boundaries, which means international collaboration is essential to any attempts to address the issue effectively.
Mundo Marino, a Spanish company operating along the Mediterranean coast (Valencia, Costa Blanca, and Málaga), has integrated sustainable practices into nautical tourism through the design and operation of hybrid and electric catamarans. The flagship vessel Mundo Marino Eco combines sail power with Torqeedo Deep Blue electric propulsion, solar panels, and hydrogeneration systems. This innovation reduces carbon emissions by 40% compared to conventional vessels, achieving an average of 22 g CO₂ per passenger/km.
The project goes beyond tourism, serving as a platform for environmental education, citizen science, and collaborations with research institutions in marine biodiversity monitoring. By offering sustainable maritime mobility and raising awareness among thousands of visitors each year, Mundo Marino contributes to reducing pressures on marine ecosystems, aligning with the objectives of the Global Biodiversity Framework and supporting the 30×30 target in Mediterranean coastal waters.
In Panama’s western highlands, small coffee farmers face growing pressures from pests, plant diseases and climate change. Heavy reliance on chemical pesticides has harmed biodiversity, degraded soils and threatened pollinators. This solution shows how endophytic fungi, microorganisms that live naturally inside plants, can serve as effective biological pest control adapted to local conditions. Fungal strains were identified and transformed into low-cost formulations that were tested on coffee farms, where they significantly reduced the need for chemical inputs. The initiative brings together scientists, government institutions and local communities, with a strong focus on training and empowering women farmers. By addressing biodiversity loss, land degradation and gaps in technical capacity, the project strengthens sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience. Farmers benefit through higher yields, lower costs and healthier ecosystems, creating a scalable model for sustainable coffee production in Panama and beyond.
This initiative was born from the vision of David Sarmiento, IMARPE field observer and renowned 2023 Leatherback Champion, who decided to go beyond his job. David realized that, in order to achieve effective marine conservation, it was important to build bridges with artisanal fishers, based on mutual trust and respect. Using everyday tools such as local radio stations, social media, and training spaces, David forged an authentic connection with the crews of fishing boats in the cove of San Jose (Lambayeque). His approach combined scientific expertise with a deep human sensitivity. By listening, valuing, and exchanging ideas with the fishers, he enabled them to take the lead in bringing about change. Today, they are the ones who share recordings of rescues, reflections, and data on marine megafauna. Experience shows that conservation is most effective when it stems from strong human relationships and committed local leadership, generating sustainable learning and trust among stakeholders.
In 2016, three fishing companies carried out a pre-assessment to establish a Marine Stewardship Council program. In 2017, two more joined, launching the Fishery Improvement Project toward MSC certification. Member companies, including NIRSA, Jadran Group, Servigrup, Eurofish, Tri Marine, Marbelize, Manacripex, Pacifictuna, and Tunaquick, have worked with the support of the Ecuadorian government and WWF to improve fishery management and reduce environmental impact.
TUNACONS promotes sustainable fishing in the Eastern Pacific by optimizing tuna yields through scientific research. It also trains the sector and supports the reduction of ecosystem impacts.
Since October 2017, a code of good practices for handling and releasing bycatch has been implemented, aimed at captains and crew. Key actions include:
– 59 vessels recording data on bycatch reduction and incidental catches
– Collaboration in a manta ray tagging program
– Training sessions on IATTC resolutions, sensitive species handling, and external evaluations.
The Fisher Friend Mobile Application (FFMA) by MSSRF, in collaboration with Qualcomm and INCOIS, supports India’s coastal fishers with real-time data on sea conditions, fishing zones, navigation, and more, all in local languages. Recently, FFMA introduced a No Fishing Zone alert to protect endangered Olive Ridley Turtles along Odisha’s coast. Using geo-fencing, it marks critical turtle habitats—including the Gahirmatha Sanctuary and key river mouths—and triggers audio message and vibrating when fishers approach within 200 meters, even without internet. This offline feature helps fishers avoid fines and supports turtle conservation by preventing unintended fishing in restricted zones. Since its launch, the No Fishing Zone alert has prevented over 6,866 intrusions, aligning conservation with sustainable fishing and supporting fisher livelihoods and safety. FFMA’s technology ensures that fishers benefit from safer, eco-friendly practices while contributing to the preservation of biodiversity in India’s coastal zones
The HandyHeroes Project leverages the idea of “small repairs, big impact” through three key innovations: activating community-based talent (technician training), integrating community service with market mechanisms, and standardizing carbon reduction. These innovations address challenges such as service shortages in older residential communities, the lack of transparency in market-based repair services, and difficulties in managing household products without warranties. Currently, the HandyHeroes project provides services to over 450 residential communities across eight main districts of Xi’an, China. The model has also been adopted in 10 cities covering 100 communities nationwide, creating a low-cost, low-barrier, and sustainable approach to community micro-renewal and senior services. The Project’s achievement is reflected not only in carbon reduction metrics and tangible improvements to neighborhoods but also in raising public awareness that “repairing products is a form of environmental protection.”
La microcuenca de San Pablo, como bosque protector de nacimientos de agua, constituye una zona estratégica para el Municipio, el cual ha debido arbitrar medios necesarios para su protección a raíz de un nuevo escenario de producción: el cultivo de aguacate y sus consecuencias ambientales como la contaminación hídrica por los pesticidas y fertilizantes utilizados, la disminución de vegetación y bosques y la consecuente pérdida de conectividad ecológica con las demás microcuencas.
Entre las principales acciones de conservación implementadas se encuentran el aislamiento de los sitios de recarga hídrica para el control de daños por ingreso de ganado, la reforestación con especies nativas y la firma de acuerdos entre cultivadores de aguacate e instituciones del Estado en todos sus niveles, a fin de reducir la presión sobre el recurso hídrico.
Engaging in oil activities poses a significant risk of impacting the environmental and social values in a landscape. The aim of the remediation effort is to restore the site’s environmental and socio-economic values. In natural habitats, this is about the recovery of biodiversity and the ecosystem functioning. This field manual aims to guide the design and implementation of biodiversity monitoring (recovery), following remediation of an oil spill. Its objective is to enhance understanding of recovery processes as well as the linkage between the recovery process and the effects of remediation.
The Niger Delta region of Nigeria is facing severe environmental challenges due to widespread oil extraction activities, resulting in recurring oil spills and adverse effects on biodiversity, ecosystem services and livelihoods. This report documents the implementation of protocols of the IUCN Niger Delta Biodiversity Technical Advisory Group (BTAG) on two impacted sites at Adibawa Well 8 S/L wellhead in Joinkrama, Rivers State, and Adibawa North-East 1 wellhead in Tien Biseni, Bayelsa State, both located in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. The innovative approach of BTAG integrates eDNA analysis with traditional field sampling to enhance the monitoring strategies, offering a more comprehensive understanding of ecological recovery.
An Ecosystem Approach for Fisheries (EAF) was adopted by municipalities in Misamis Occidental, Philippines, to improve small-scale fisheries management for poverty reduction. They belong to Iligan Bay Alliance of Misamis Occidental (IBAMO), an initiative providing governance frameworks for LGU collaboration. It aims to be a proactive, committed, dynamic alliance for sustainable coastal resource development and seeks to foster the wellbeing of the environment and the people depending on fishing.
The Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces (HHRT), covering 16,603 hectares in Southern Yunnan, was inscribed in the World Heritage List in 2013 under criteria (iii) and (v). The cultivation of traditional rice has deeply moulded the landscape and shaped the farming culture of Hani people which have sustained these terraces for centuries. However, deep social changes make the sustainability of the terraces uncertain. Ecological challenges combined with loss of traditional knowledge menace the conservation of this spectacular landscape. In order to address these challenges, before the inscription of the site, Honghe prefecture developed a strategy which focuses on the recovery of the traditional water management system based on the water-wood concept and the restoration of traditional leadership. Through participatory research and a multi-level partnership, this initiative has ensured water supply to villages and sustain terraces while recovering ancient cultural practices.
Water is an essential requirement for human survival and economic development, but is an increasingly limiting factor in areas undergoing climate change and increased urbanisation. Many of the available freshwater resources supplying the world’s cities are undergoing degradation due to poor management and the introduction of pollution from direct and indirect (diffuse) sources. A large proportion of water pollution originates from non-point sources, from both urban and agricultural areas, which makes tackling the cause of the problem a challenge. A complementary solution to traditional water treatment methods is the use of vegetation in slowing the flowrate and removing contaminants from freshwaters. The Earthwatch Institute launched an investigation in the Valle de Bravo watershed in Mexico to research the efficacy of vegetation strips as buffers to water pollution in the region.
