Marine plastics: how can researchers, artists and governments work together to develop solutions?

Marine plastic is a threat to both human and ocean health. How can various sectors work together to develop solutions? What collaborative interfaces are there? How do scientific and technological innovations impact the role and relationship between sectors in addressing marine plastics?

From plastic-eating enzymes to hauntingly beautiful art: the problem of marine plastics is sparking innovation across all sectors. The UK and Sweden have both recognised the need for transformative partnerships and are supporting new hubs for knowledge-sharing and research. Meanwhile, scientific and technological innovations are changing how stakeholders relate to one another. Mobile apps are being used to monitor the dispersal of marine debris, inform consumers, and connect citizens to policy-makers. Many are hopeful that this will make the ocean more transparent. The general public is also becoming increasingly involved in scientific data collection and analysis, especially as technologies become cheaper and connectivity improves. As science improves our ability to clean up the ocean, how do we make the most of the opportunities offered by citizen science? How do we use them to promote marine literacy?