Working Towards a Plastic-Free Mediterranean Sea
On the shores of the Mediterranean, one of the planet’s most vibrant seas is suffocating under the weight of plastic. Every year, hundreds of thousands of tonnes of waste – bags, bottles, fishing nets – flow from land to water, threatening biodiversity, food security, and human health. In the first session of the Med Dialogues -2030 2025 Edition, Ahmed Yassin, Egypt Country Manager of Enaleia, shared how a movement that began in Greece with a single fisherman has evolved into a regional model for change. Founded in Greece, Enaleia is pioneering collaboration between fishing communities and environmental innovators to clean the sea, recycle marine waste, and integrate local livelihoods into the circular economy. In Egypt, Ahmed – also co-founder of Banlastic Egypt, one of the country’s first campaigns against single-use plastics – has led efforts to turn fishermen from “problem creators into problem solvers.”
His story is one of perseverance, trust, and belief that a clean Mediterranean begins at the community level.
