Reducing plastic pollution in Tuvalu

Tuvalu - Funafuti Atoll beach with palm trees and birds in sky
Common Seas team and local partner by coast in Tuvalu. Three people stand on a stone platform under a palm tree with the sea and rocky beach in the background. Plastic waste is visible on the ground.

Tuvalu is one of the smallest and most remote countries in the world. Despite its small size, the country’s vast ocean territory and stunning coral atolls are vital to the global marine ecosystem. Tuvalu relies on a healthy ocean for its fisheries, tourism, and cultural heritage, making tackling plastic pollution not just an environmental priority, but a matter of survival.

Common Seas is working with the Government of Tuvalu’s Ministry of Home Affairs, Climate Change, and Environment to co-create the country’s first National Action Plan to End Plastic Pollution.

Our progress

Working with our local partner, we’ve completed the data-gathering phase of the project, and the baseline modelling and initial analysis of the policies with the greatest potential impact.

We presented the policy analysis at a national workshop in Funafuti.

Next steps

We’re now finalising the National Action Plan report, which will be reviewed by the steering committee.

“We look forward to launching the National Action Plan later this year, supported by Common Seas. In doing so we join a growing number of SIDS and small coastal countries that are demonstrating global leadership in addressing plastic pollution at the national level, whilst contributing to global efforts.”

Dr. Maina Talia, Minister for Home Affairs, Climate Change, and Environment

Our supporters

Logo for UK International Development. It is rectangular, with a union jack flag to the legt and the works 'UK International Development to the right in dark blue. Underneath is says 'partnership | prosperity | progress' also in dark blue.

Supported by funding from the UK Government through UK International Development, Common Seas is partnering with five Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to develop National Action Plans to tackle plastic pollution.

As part of the Sustainable Blue Economies Programme, this critical funding will allow us to develop and scale an approach tailored to the unique challenges and needs of SIDS, which are disproportionately affected by the plastic crisis. The project is supporting partner governments to radically reduce ocean plastic in their countries over the course of ten years and contribute to a sustainable blue economy.