United Nations joins Jamaica for International Coastal Clean-Up Day

The United Nations (UN) country team in Jamaica, UN Environment, will lead the UN team's participation in International Coastal Clean-Up Day today.

Last year, over 18 million pounds of trash was collected worldwide. International Coastal Clean-up Day contributes to raising awareness on the importance of protecting our oceans and marine resources from the growing trash problem.

A large part of the UN's work at UN Environment is aimed at achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 14 on oceans, that all life underwater must be preserved through sustainable use of the oceans, seas and other marine resources.

Protecting the oceans also requires actions on land and achieving goal No. 11 on sustainable cities, which calls on everyone to reduce, reuse and recycle waste, thus reducing pollution of our oceans and seas.

In the Caribbean, and especially Jamaica, marine resources are extremely important to the economy, recreation, and to industries such as tourism, fishing, manufacturing, and agriculture.

It is important to keep the oceans clean for the economy, health, natural beauty, biodiversity, and for present and future generations to enjoy.

UN Environment and the UN country team are implementing several programmes through the Jamaica Country Implementation Plan to ensure that our goals for the oceans become a reality.

Likewise, International Coastal Clean-Up teams all over Jamaica, the Caribbean and the world are volunteering for ICC Day 2017.