The world’s oceans, revered throughout history for their vastness and beauty, are plagued by an overwhelming tide of waste. This crisis is particularly acute in the Global South, where inadequate management and lax regulations exacerbate the damage.
At the heart of this crisis are multinational corporations, whose activities have significantly contributed to ocean pollution. Despite extracting a great deal of benefit from the developing regions of the world — in part, thanks to lower production costs and lenient environmental laws — many companies have been slow to address their environmental impact.
Globally, ocean waste, especially plastic pollution, has reached alarming proportions. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, approximately 11 million metric tons of plastic enter the oceans annually, and this figure is expected to triple by 2040 if current trends continue.
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