Commissioner Vella said: "Aquariums are a television screen to the ocean. This campaign on marine litter is urgent and welcome. The world's aquariums have decided to become the ocean's 'breaking news' to avoid becoming its history channel. This summer, millions of visitors across the globe will visit an aquarium. To bring change we must show them the reality of plastic pollution". 10 million tonnes of litter end up in the oceans every year. Almost one hundred aquariums across five continents have joined the campaign. The event is taking place at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, hosted by Prince Albert II of Monaco, with the Head of the United Nations Environment Programme, Erik Solheim, and World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), CEO Doug Cress. The campaign is designed to raise awareness of the upcoming Our Ocean conference (Malta, 5-6 October). Hosted by the European Union for the first time, this high-level international event brings together ocean champions from government, civil society and business.

Video on the campaign is available here and coverage of the event will be available on EbS+.