The Honolulu Strategy: A Global Framework for Prevention and Management of Marine Debris

The Honolulu Strategy is a global, results-oriented framework developed to address the growing ecological, economic, and social impacts of marine debris, a complex problem caused by human-generated solid waste from both land-based and sea-based activities. Marine debris includes a wide range of materials, such as plastics, metals, glass, paper, textiles, rubber, timber, construction materials, and hazardous waste, which can also transport harmful pollutants into the marine environment. The Strategy serves as a planning, collaboration, and monitoring tool for governments, international organizations, industry, and civil society, supporting coordinated action without replacing existing national or local initiatives. Built around three strategic goals targeting land-based sources, sea-based sources, and accumulated marine debris, it promotes global, regional, national, and local cooperation. The framework was developed through extensive stakeholder consultation following the Fifth International Marine Debris Conference in 2011.