Since 2020, Ocean Friendly Restaurants enables restaurants to be more sustainable. Thanks to 7 mandatory criterias and 15 optional ones, the restaurants signing this chart get a support to reduce their impact.

Using less plastic, avoiding some fish species, reducing water consumption… all of these criterias aiming at keeping our ocean clean and enjoyable for surfers and swimmers.

Most of the OFRs are located along the coast because that’s where our volunteer chapters are most active. It’s also where restaurants are most sensitive to water pollution issues.

Collab with I love the Seaside

This summer, during a roadtrip to Portugal, we followed the advice of I Love the Seaside, a surf and travel guide. We were so convinced by their good addresses that we contacted them for a collab.

Let us tell you a bit more about them. I Love the Seaside creates surf and travel guides that guide you along surfable shores and around the backyards beyond, connecting you with local people in the loveliest places.

Whether you’re a recurrent surfer or you just enjoy the ocean, you’ll find the best spots (restaurants, hotels, shops, surfspots) all around Europe.

If you want to discover their guides, you can check their website.

Our selection of restaurants

We’ve made a short selection of sustainable restaurants for you. Some already signed the chart, others are in the I Love The Seaside Guide and will sign it soon. We hope you’ll enjoy it. Bon appétit.

If your favourite place isn’t yet listed, and you think they fit the bill, do contact your country’s Surfrider Chapter to endorse them!

Denmark

Starting off in one of our most treasured surfing towns in Denmark, Nørre Vorupør. The tiny seaside village just south of Klitmøller, better known as Cold Hawaii, carries its own nickname ‘Nørre Vegas’. The Break Café offers coffee, smoothies, freshly baked bread and sweet treats, vegetarian and vegan food, cocktails, craft beers and organic wines. Find work of local artist on their walls too. Besides the mandatory criteria they reduce the packaging of food, starting at the provider’s chain and offer local and ecological dishes where possible, amongst other practices.

Holland

The Spot in Zandvoort is where the local waterpeople hang out. A perfect mix of watersport centre and beach bar, organizing and hosting events, such as Surfrider events and beach clean-ups. Their menu is varied, healthy and offers lots of organic and vegetarian options.

The Shore in Scheveningen and PLSTK Café in Hoek van Holland are both ditching fast food production and pre-cooked food, are completely (single use) plastic free and trying to source goods that aren’t wrapped in plastic from their suppliers. Chilled out spots if ever there were, The Shore’s right at the beach and has a surf school too, PLSTK Café sits in a unique location overlooking dunes and the sea right behind. The Shore hosts surf, music and community gatherings as well as Surfrider events.

Bula Op Het Strand is a breezy (kite) surf friendly beach club in Ouddorp, in the south of Holland. Expect a laidback atmosphere, tasty snacks and good vibes. They’ve their waste management and recycling sorted, no endangered species on the menu, organize Surfrider events, have free tap water on offer and lots more. The perfect hangout for a sunset beer.

France

Big fans of Brittany, microbrewery and brasserie Poèm in Brest, and La Carlotta Food Caravan in Penmarc’h obviously deserve a mention in this list. The latter has incredibly tasty vegetarian food, homemade with the use of biological and locally sourced ingredients. That, their outdoor setting, and a zero-waste management, make them a great value for the community and visitors alike. Poèm produces artisanal beer, sold throughout France, and serves delightful side bites with their beer tastings at the brewery. They recently started using a glass deposit system.

Code O in Lorient is another zero-waste gem in Brittany. They’ve speciality coffee and sweet treats on offer, brunch, and after work drinks. No plastic to be found, but a warm welcome and animal friendly options aplenty. Great spot for a late petit dejeuner in town after a surf at the nearby beaches.

Right at the beach in Mimizan, cantina and bar JÜNE stands out with their summery vibes and delightful sweet and savoury dishes. From vegan smoothies to falafel, and from not using any plastic packaging to using energy-saving systems, they tick all the boxes on our favourites list. This summer you were able to encounter a Surfrider volunteer who worked there for the summer.

Find food made with love, and clean planet proof practices at Maâbanana in Moliet-et-Maâ. This lovely spot near the ocean serves vegetarian and vegan dishes mostly made with local and seasonal ecological ingredients in the tastiest of manners. A go-to spot for early breakfast with a good brew, smoothies, juices, brunch, lunch or afternoon sweet treats.

The French Basque Country has waves aplenty, outdoor options galore and a dizzying choice of eateries, restaurants and bars. Maybe start off at Xuxu in Biarritz or L’Oeuf Poché in Bidart? Xuxu serves homemade vegan delicacies – special mention for their cheesecakes – and L’Oeuf Poché pours a delicious speciality cuppa and has a menu of cakes, breakfast and lunch. Both have more than the 8 mandatory recommendations sorted and do all in their power towards a zero-waste management.

While well aware this list is just an indication and there are many more out there that we could recommend. Don’t hesitate to check the other Ocean Friendly Restaurants on our website. We also have them on the Mapstr app on mobile.

And the Big Goal here is to encourage more and more restaurants to be Ocean Friendly, so if you have any suggestions, please endorse them!

Support Ocean Friendly Restaurants’ campaign

If you’d like to contribute to the OFR campaign, why not become a volunteer and join one of our chapters in Europe.

Do you know a restaurateur who might be interested? Contact us by e-mail: ofr@surfrider.eu

A formal notice to remedy a world awash in plastic 

In a world where global plastic production almost doubled between 2000 and 2019 and could triple again by 2060, and where only 9% of plastics are actually recycled, businesses need to deplastify. Deplastifying means planning and implementing a drastic reduction in the production and use of all plastics in economic activities, throughout the value chain, and in line with the principles of the circular economy. 

Exactly one year ago, nine food and retail companies were given formal notice to reduce their use of plastic by Surfrider Foundation Europe, ClientEarth and Zero Waste France for failing in their due diligence regarding plastics: Auchan, Carrefour, Casino, Danone, Lactalis, McDonald’s France, Les Mousquetaires, Picard Surgelés and Nestlé France. 

These companies are known for the vast quantities of single-use plastic packaging they put on our shelves and in our bins every year, such as yoghurt pots, bottles and pasta bags. But this is only the visible face of the problem. Lurking in the shadows are other plastics that are just as problematic: logistics packaging, agricultural and industrial plastics, plastics used by employees, suppliers or distributors, and so on. 

The formal notice served on these companies followed an analysis of the due diligence plans that must be published by French companies with more than 5,000 employees. The law requires these companies to publish a vigilance plan that identifies, prioritizes and maps the risks of serious violations of human rights, health and the environment arising from their activities and those of their suppliers and subcontractors, and to adopt appropriate measures to prevent and mitigate these risks. (see end below). 

Read: 9 companies served with formal notice for failing to comply with the duty of care relating to their use of plastics

1 year after being put on notice, they’re still not there yet 

Last year, we put these companies on notice because they either referred to incomplete or unsatisfactory measures on plastic, omitted to mention plastic at all, or failed to publish a vigilance plan.

In the space of a year, the scourge of plastic has continued to make headlines. An international plastic treaty to prevent plastic pollution is even under consideration. This year was therefore another milestone in the drive to raise awareness of the issue and to ensure that plastic is addressed properly in due diligence plans. 

So, one year on, where do they stand?

We have again analysed the due diligence plans of these 9 companies. Our full analysis is available in a report that we are publishing on Thursday 28 September.

The assessment can be summed up as follows: companies are like swimmers at the deep end of the pool. The race has already begun, the urgency is there, and yet each one remains on the edge of the pool. 

Most companies seem to have a better understanding of the risks associated with the use of plastic and to recognise the urgent need to deplastify. However, they are slow to launch in the race to deplastify. And some – still lagging behind – are failing to grasp the risks and act on them. Worse still: a year after our formal notice, some companies have not even published a due diligence plan. 

Although the Casino and Lactalis groups have published new plans, they do not contain any substantial progress on the issue of plastic.

Danone, despite our legal action, has not published an assessment of its plastic-use, does not appear to be monitoring plastic reduction and no deplastification trajectory.

Nestlé France has still not published a due diligence plan for 2022. Its 2021 plan, published after our formal notice, remained unsatisfactory

As for the Les Mousquetaires, Auchan and Carrefour groups, the new plans published recognise the seriousness of the risks associated with plastic, but do not set out a deplastification trajectory.

Finally, McDonald’s France and Picard still do not have a due diligence plan incorporating risks relating to plastics, arguing that they do not fall under the scope of the law to produce a due diligence plan. 

Read the full report

It’s time to take the plunge! Deplastification must be the priority 

The race to deplastify requires investment, lucidity, self-knowledge and determination.   

As a reminder, the law on the duty of vigilance requires the publication of vigilance plans covering all the risks generated by a company’s activities in terms of their impact on health, human rights and the environment.  

To comply with the law, companies that have been served with formal notice must respect 4 golden rules: 

• The first is to understand  understand the stakes of the race to deplastify for a truly vigilant plan, it is imperative that companies identify all the risks associated risks associated with the use of plastic throughout its lifecycle. 
• The second is to measure the size of the pool: companies are using plastic today, but how much? Plastic today, but in what quantities? In other words, how much effort will they have to make to deplastify?  The best way to tackle this is to publish a comprehensive assessment of the use of plastic that addresses all plastics used by the company. 
• The third is to plan: Just as a race demands specific performance and time goals, each company must set solid deadlines and quantifiable plastic reduction objectives. The scope of the deplastification strategy must reflect the urgency of the task and the extent of the company’s current dependence on plastic. 
• Lastly, keep an eye on the timer! Although there’s no substitute for meticulous planning, careful and regular monitoring will help to identify any obstacles that arise during the race. 

Swimmers must now plunge in the water. Will there be any pleasant surprises in the due diligence plans published next year? 

Throughout its life, plastic generates serious impacts on the environment, health and human rights. Since its invention, the use of plastics has grown at the expense of the environment, health and human rights.  

At every stage of their life cycle, plastics release hazardous substances that contaminate the air, water and soil, and contribute to climate change. In 2019 alone, 22 million tons of plastic – equivalent to the weight of 2178 Eiffel Towers – were released into the environment, according to the OECD¹. 

Once they sink into the depths of the ocean, plastics accumulate and break down, endangering marine species and contaminating the entire food chain by releasing chemical additives. Marine ecosystems are not the only ones affected. According to the FAO, our soils are even more contaminated by plastic pollution than our oceans². 

From production to end-of-life, plastic is a major contributor to climate change. In 2021, single-use plastic accounted for the equivalent of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions³. If plastic production continues to grow, it could seriously jeopardize compliance with the Paris Agreement⁴. 

1. OECD, “Global Plastics Outlook: Economic drivers, environmental impacts and policy options”, 2022, page 14. ↩︎
2. Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations, “Assessment of Agricultural Plastics and their Sustainability”, 2021. ↩︎
3. Minderoo Foundation, “Plastic Waste Makers Index 2023”, 2023.  ↩︎
4. The Pew Charitable Trusts and Systemiq, “Breaking the plastic wave: A comprehensive assessment of pathways towards stopping ocean plastic pollution”, 2020. ↩︎

This worrying triple climate record, with air and ocean temperatures at their highest and the level of the ice surface at its lowest, is only the beginning. 

Yet the ocean is essential for regulating the climate. It provides us with half the oxygen we breathe. In addition, it absorbs 93% of the heat due to the greenhouse effect, thereby limiting the rise in atmospheric temperature. However, global warming caused by the additional greenhouse effect (due to human activities) is disrupting its regulatory role. This leads to problems such as acidification, oxygen deficiency and rising sea levels. These consequences are extremely dangerous, both for humans and for marine ecosystems. 

The ocean is gradually warming up and it’s only the beginning         

The ocean will continue to warm. By 2100, its upper layer (up to 2,000 m deep) is expected to warm two to four times faster than the already high rate observed since the 1970s in a low-GHG emissions scenario, and 5 to 7 times faster in a high emissions scenario. Maritime heatwaves will become increasingly frequent, intense and long-lasting. 

Annual variations in global ocean surface temperature from 1880 to 2022, as a function of temperature variation 

At the heart of ocean warming: Identifying the sources of the phenomenon 

The ocean has absorbed 90% of the excess heat from the Earth’s system caused by human activity during the industrial era. According to the IPCC, human influence is the main factor in the increase in ocean temperature observed since the 1970s.  

Since the start of the industrial revolution a few centuries ago, mankind has consumed huge quantities of fossil fuels, deforested vast tracts of land and engaged in various other activities that have led to a significant injection of greenhouse gases into the Earth’s atmosphere.

This phenomenon has led to global warming.  

The impact of global warming on coral reefs and marine ecosystems 

Rising temperatures increase the risk of irreversible extinction of marine and coastal ecosystems.   

According to the latest UNESCO estimates, more than half of all marine species could be in danger of extinction by 2100. At present, with a temperature rise of 1.1°C, around 60% of the world’s marine ecosystems have already been altered or dealt with unsustainably. If the temperature rises by 1.5°C, between 70% and 90% of coral reefs could be destroyed, and a rise of 2°C could lead to the disappearance of almost all reefs. This situation highlights the urgent need to act to preserve our marine ecosystems. Seagrass beds and mangroves are also under threat, even though they store carbon much better than terrestrial ecosystems. 

Read: Blue carbon ecosytems: key instruments to fight climate change?

How can we tackle the climate crisis?

It is crucial that we act now to preserve the ocean and counter global warming: the ocean is a prime ally in limiting the impact of atmospheric warming.

So we need to start mitigating the effects of climate change now, by drastically reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. For example, by adopting a sober approach to everything we consume (goods, plastics, energy, etc.), and by favouring the transition to renewable energies, we can further slow the devastating effects of global warming on the ocean.

Read: the energy transition: an integral answer to the climate emergency 

In addition, the creation of vast protected areas and the preservation and restoration of fragile coastal habitats are essential to safeguarding marine biodiversity, making it more resilient and enabling it to adapt to temperature changes. Limiting destructive activities such as offshore drilling to preserve biodiversity is also a solution.

All this requires solid international cooperation and concrete agreements for truly effective measures. 

The fraud of greenwashing: Why clean-up initiatives are not what they appear to be  

Funding research into bioplastics, supporting recycling and pollution reduction initiatives, shifting responsibility to consumers or the government… Some companies are not short of initiatives to improve their image and clear their conscience regarding their environmental impact.  

Ocean clean-ups are another tactic used by companies to divert the attention of consumers and public authorities from their own polluting activities.   

By funding initiatives of this kind, they position themselves as committed players in solving the problem of plastic pollution. 

One example is the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW), whose main aim is to “end plastic pollution” by developing programmes and infrastructure to “clean up the ocean“.  

The organisation is mainly funded by chemical and fossil fuel companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp (US oil and gas company), Dow Chemical Co (global chemical manufacturing and distribution giant) and Chevron Phillips Chemical Co (US petrochemical company). It is therefore logical that it should focus primarily on recycling initiatives rather than on the production of plastic at source.  

By investing in initiatives to clean up the ocean, these companies are seeking to deflect responsibility for the ecological disaster caused by plastic, even though they are responsible for the massive and growing production of plastic.    

The major oil and chemical companies are using these initiatives to divert attention by encouraging stakeholders to focus on downstream recycling and waste management, while avoiding the issue of reducing plastic production at source. In other words, they shift the responsibility for solving the problem of plastic pollution onto consumers and clean-up initiatives, while preserving their productive (and lucrative!) polluting activities.  

Read: The five strategies of industries to keep on producing and using even more plastic

Read: Plastic pollution: beware of plastic fake outs

Only the biggest waste is being cleaned up: what about microplastics?    

An NGO that develops technologies to eradicate plastic pollution from the oceans, The Ocean Cleanup has become world-famous thanks to its young founder and his goal of cleaning up the seventh continent, a vortex of plastic waste covering an area of 1.6 million km2 in the Pacific Ocean.  

While the idea may seem praiseworthy on the surface, the system set up by the NGO only collects large pieces of plastic waste that are floating or close to the surface, such as plastic bottles or lost fishing nets. Unfortunately, this is only a tiny part of the problem. The majority of waste ends up sinking or fragmenting into microplastics and nanoplastics.  

In autumn 2018, the crew of the Arctic Sunrise (Greenpeace’s oceanographic vessel) went to the site of the waste vortex to observe this viscous soup up close. It is actually made up of billions of tiny fragments of plastic (microplastics). According to Greenpeace, the plastic vortex is made up of 1,800 billion pieces of floating plastic, with a mass of almost 80,000 tonnes buried in the ocean. 

This mass is the result of the fragmentation of plastic waste under the effect of sun and salt. 

Microplastics are ingested by marine species, with irreversible consequences for ecosystems and contamination of the food chain, as well as impacts on our health through the ingestion of contaminated seafood. On average, we swallow up to 5 grams of plastic a week – it’s the equivalent of a credit card.  

Tackling only the surface of the problem will not bring about a lasting reduction in plastic pollution.

The only sustainable solution: breaking the cycle of plastic dependency    

At present, it is illusory to try to clean up the ocean.  

However, it is entirely possible to combat the over-consumption of plastic.  

In 2019, on a global scale, only 9% of the plastic produced was recycled, 12% was incinerated and 79% accumulated in landfill sites or was dispersed in nature, much of it easily finding its way into the ocean.  

An estimated 10 million tonnes of plastic reach marine ecosystems every year. That’s the equivalent of a dustbin truck being unloaded into the sea every minute.  

We are calling on companies that pollute and fail to communicate honestly to take a more responsible approach and tackle the issue of plastic pollution head on. All too often, companies focus solely on recycling as a means of combating plastic pollution. But recycling does not eliminate all the risks associated with the use of plastic.  

For these reasons, we are asking companies to make concrete commitments to reduce their plastic consumption at source. 

Read: Lawyers put nine companies on formal notice to reduce their plastic use

Even the founder of The Ocean Cleanup project himself now recognises the urgency of the situation. In an article published in the New York Times on 25 May 2023, he stated: “If we don’t prevent more plastic from entering the oceans, we will never be able to finish the job”. 

The task may seem impossible, but there is still hope: the second session of the International Negotiating Committee (INC-2) for the international treaty on plastic pollution has paved the way for the drafting of a first version of a treaty. This will be discussed in Nairobi in November 2023. This is a step forward in the face of powerful lobbying by the plastics industry! 

Read: the press release on Surfrider’s reaction to the INC-2r results  

Unfortunately, cleaning up the ocean is not the solution to plastic pollution. The problem must be solved at source. A more global, preventive and transparent approach is needed to tackle the root causes of this environmental crisis. By adopting preventive measures, raising public awareness and implementing strict regulations, the fight against ocean pollution can be taken a step further and the health of our marine ecosystems preserved for future generations. 

Osparito, the participatory science programme for schools   

OSPARITO is a participatory science program aimed at schoolchildren on the issue of aquatic waste. By immersing them in the world of police investigations, the aim is to get pupils involved in scientific research in a fun and educational way. Above all, it’s a scientific project based on expertise.

The data collected in the field is used to improve scientific knowledge, but also to support laws acting on the reduction of waste, at both French and European level. These children are helping to improve scientific knowledge by making their own contribution to lobbying activities. 

In 2022, 22 classes took part! A total of 82 groups (including school classes and leisure centres, for example) have taken part in the project since it began. 

Read: Even kids can act up for the ocean 

Echappée Bleue, introducing children to sailing and fostering protection of the marine environment    

This project, carried out in collaboration with skipper and Surfrider ambassador Paul Meilhat, introduces children to sailing while raising their awareness of the need to protect the marine environment. L’échappée bleue ensures that all children are included in sailing and the ocean world and is designed for children who don’t have the opportunity to go on holidays, or who have never been to the seaside before.

The project confirmed its success in 2022. No fewer than 25 Echappées Bleues were organised in 20 towns in mainland France and 6 towns and villages in Guadeloupe to mark the arrival of the Route du Rhum. More than 750 children were able to take part in the programme, which raised awareness of the need to protect the ocean and offered sailing lessons on land and at sea. Since the project began, around 1,000 children have been introduced to the world of sailing. 

Surfrider Campus, an area devoted to education and sustainable development

At the heart of the association’s desire to raise awareness is Surfrider Campus: a physical space dedicated to education and training in sustainable development, aimed at sharing with citizens the challenges of protecting the Ocean. The Campus is open to all, especially schools and children, and offers educational visits, workshops and activities on the ground. It covers issues such as aquatic waste, water quality and user health, coastal protection, climate change and the role of the ocean in climate management. The topics are obviously adapted to the different audiences received. 2,658 schoolchildren were educated thanks to this project, just in 2022.

Discover Ocean Campus, a digital platform for education in sustainable development, with online courses, quizzes and free teaching kits.

    By raising young people’s awareness of ocean conservation through programmes such as those offered by Surfrider, we are sowing the seeds of a generation aware of the importance of this fragile ecosystem. We believe in shaping responsible and committed citizens, ready to take action to preserve the health of the oceans. In this way, we can nurture a generation that will act in harmony with the ocean, preserving its beauty and biodiversity for future generations. 

Plastic is a threat for the environment and human health 

Plastic is growing exponentially. There were 368M tons of plastics produced in 2020. Urgent action is vital, as given the current trend, plastic pollution could triple by 2040.  

However, it is a threat to the environment as well as human health. At every step of their lifecycle, plastics release hazardous substances that contaminate the air, water and soil, and contribute to climate change during their production through the emission of greenhouse gases. Marine ecosystems are particularly affected by the growing presence of plastics. Once they sink down to the depths, they break down and remain there, invisible and threatening marine species and poisoning the whole food chain by releasing their chemical additives.  

For human health, plastic is also problematic. The exposition to a large variety of toxic chemicals and microplastics through inhalation, ingestion, and direct skin contact, all along the plastic lifecycle, is toxic.  

Read: Ban on microplastics in cosmetics postponed again

Plastic is everywhere (in all our uses) because it is a cheap raw material and easy to handle for industries. They are putting in place clever strategies to make it look like they are committed, which only slows down the process of deplastification. Companies must stop relying on false solutions and start deplastifying their activities, as this is the only way out of global plastic pollution and its devastating environmental and human consequences. 

Read: Danone taken to court over its plastic use 

The 5 avoidance strategies deployed by companies 

With the Break Free From Plastic movement, we have created a report on the five avoidance strategies deployed by companies to continue polluting.  

1. Shifting the burden away 

To reduce their own accountability, some companies have decided to emphasize the role of consumers, vulnerable communities, and local authorities in the plastic crisis. In these companies’ narrative, plastic pollution occurs because the consumer fails to sort the packaging in the right recycling bin and because local authorities fail to properly manage waste. 

One of the biggest challenges that Nestlé faces is plastic pollution, and a substantial part of their efforts focuses on working with public authorities to set up recycling infrastructure and education programs. Plastic recycling rates worldwide are alarmingly low, with only 9% of plastics being recycled. Contrary to popular belief, consumers are not solely responsible for this low rate, as sorting waste is not the primary issue. The main challenge lies in the fact that many plastics cannot be recycled economically due to high costs. Additionally, the ongoing increase in plastic production and consumption further exacerbates the struggle for recycling facilities to meet the demand. 

It may seem like Nestlé is doing a good job by investing in these programs. These recycling programs are putting the spotlight on consumers and local authorities while diluting the company’s own role in the plastic crisis. Emphasizing the responsibility of others has a consequence: it reduces the company’s duty to reduce its plastic and transfers the cost of managing the pollution on other shoulders 

2. Investing in the wrong direction 

Research & Development (R&D) and investments play a key role in defining a company’s strategy: they design the pathway to be respected for the following decades. Today, most investments and R&D expenses for plastics concerns are focused on technologies that knowingly fail to fully solve the crisis alone like improving recycling, incorporating recycled plastics or bioplastics.  

Unfortunately, these measures won’t successfully solve the plastic crisis unless accompanied by a strong deplastification strategy. Increasing recycled plastics or bioplastics cannot prevent plastic from reaching the ocean, neither can it reduce sanitary and human rights risks related to plastics 

For example, Total Energies has structured its investments and R&D strategy towards creating new capacities in virgin, recycled or bioplastic production. With this strategy, the company locks itself – and the whole of society with it – into long-lasting infrastructures and technologies that knowingly fail to address the plastic crisis.   

3. Striking a chord with consumers 

Companies like Adidas and IKKS have developed communication strategies aiming to convince consumers that their products are part of the solution to “save the environment”. Through the slogans and logos, they use, these companies create the impression that they are committed to reducing their plastic impact and that the consumer can make a difference by buying their products, even though their properties have in no way been proven to have any beneficial impacts on the ocean or the environment.  

To illustrate, the French Council for Advertisement Ethics stated that the Adidas advertisement for Stan Smith “100% iconic, 50% recycled” shoes and the IKKS sailor-stripe shirt that “cleans the ocean” were not in line with the Council’s recommendations. Both products were criticized for the difference between the reality of their action, in proportion to the messages promoted in their ads. 

4. Using the smoke and mirrors strategy

Industries’ secret weapon involves mastering every detail of the company’s communication, in particular its sustainability indicators. These act like the Instagram ‘beauty’ filters of polluting companies. If they look good, if the target seems both ambitious and in the process of being attained, then the company has the power to claim before its shareholders, its consumers, and before public authorities that everything is under control.   

For example, Unilever provides a good example of how poor plastic reduction performances can be made more beautiful with flattering or unclear calculation methodologies, reporting and rating tools.  

There is also the misleading concept of ‘plastic neutrality’, which companies that a growing number of companies deploy thus contributing to delay action. The idea behind it is to enable companies to continue using plastic by funding the collection and recycling of an equivalent amount of plastic waste in the environment, thus achieving “neutrality.” However, this concept has been widely criticized by experts in the field of sustainability as it gives the impression that plastic waste is being effectively managed while allowing companies to continue their business as usual. 

Read: Plastic pollution: beware of plastic fake outs 

5. Acting behind the scenes  

Many companies work hard to shape a positive image of sustainability. Advertisements, commitments, events, sustainability indexes, etc. – it all is a good way of being seen as Best-in-Class. But behind the sustainable leader image created, companies may have another hidden agenda.   

To illustrate, companies such as Coca-Cola have become experts in discreetly fighting plastic regulations. Coca-Cola also produces the largest amount of plastic waste and has been ranked the biggest plastic-polluting company in every annual Branded Audit report by the Break Free From Plastic movement since 2018. It has skillfully managed over the years to delay, distract, and derail decisive plastic reduction regulations.  

All in all, these brands stay the favorite brands of many consumers and use this status to justify the fact that they are polluting this much.  

Our economy is addicted to plastic, so deplastification is the only reasonable answer to our plastic addiction.  

We call on companies to embrace change and start deplastifying their activity now if they want to maintain their social license to operate and continue their activities in tomorrow’s world and in full respect of our people and planet. To achieve this, citizens, with the support of NGOs, and governments, must keep on scrutinizing and denouncing companies’ avoidance strategies and false solutions. 

Read the detailed report 

The cigarette butt, a toxic plastic bomb

Each year, 4.5 trillion cigarette butts end up in the environment.

The result is : cigarette butts are the first litter to be found in towns, along rivers and on beaches during ocean initiatives (see Environmental Report). It is a real environmental scourge with both plastic and chemical pollution: plastic linked to the cellulose acetate filter and chemical due to the toxic substances present in tobacco.

Once in the environment, the cigarette butt will break down into micro and nano particles of plastic releasing the 7,000 toxic chemical substances they contain, such as nicotine, arsenic, mercury, ammonia, and lead. Specifically, nicotine from the butts can seep into water within 24 hours, potentially contaminating up to 1,000 litres of water.

These pollutants will have a direct impact on marine ecosystems: studies revealed that cigarette butt waste can inhibit the growth of marine plants and release enough toxins to cause a 50% mortality rate in fish within 96 hours.

A mandatory butt collection opens the door to greenwashing

To fight pollution from cigarette butts, the European Union has adopted measures to ehance the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in 2019 as part of the Directive on single-use plastic products. In application of the polluter pays principle, tobacco producers have to cover the costs of cleaning, collecting, transporting and treating cigarette butts, as well as awareness-raising measures. One might think that this is a good thing, except that tobacco producers are using it to burnish their image, making us believe that the industry is committed to the environment. Above all, these measures enable them to renew their ties with the public authorities, which is contrary to the WHO’s international agreement on tobacco control, which prohibits any influence from the industry in politics.

The electronic tobacco industry polluting more and more.

Made of plastic and lithium batteries, cigarette butts are now joined by new types of waste: disposable electronic cigarettes, or “puffs”. These new products, created by the tobbacco industry to appeal to the younger generation thanks to their unbeatable prices and tastes that would make Chupa Chups envious, they’re already finding their way into the environment, with disastrous consequences.

These devices add to the over 50 million tons of electrical and electronic waste produced worldwide, which, according to the United Nations, are the leading source of pollution. Batteries, which already require a great deal of water for lithium extraction, release heavy metals (such as mercury, lead, and bromine), acid, and nicotine when they end up in the environment, damaging the health of ecosystems.

Over and above the chemical pollution they cause, and because they are single-use and non-recyclable (the batteries are moulded directly into the plastic), these disposable electronic cigarettes contribute to global plastic pollution.

The tobacco industry must be held responsible for its impact

Despite the disastrous consequences of its activities on the planet and the ecotoxicity of its products, the tobacco industry enjoys a socially acceptable image in the eyes of public opinion and institutions by boasting positive environmental actions backed by CSR labels.

Faced with this situation, Surfrider Europe and the French Alliance Against Tobacco call on the tobacco industry to:
 – enshrine in European Union law a ban on the tobacco industry promoting environmental responsibility activities to the public
 – Ban disposable electronic cigarettes such as Puff

#STOPCIGARETTESPOLLUTION 

The tobacco industry is also killing the environment. Be aware of the real impacts of this industry and help preserve our oceans by not littering any cigarette butts or tobacco products in the environment. 

To quit smoking : WHO quitting toolkit

Plastic is ubiquitous in our society: almost every object in our daily lives contains it, from our clothes and vehicles to the packaging of the products we consume.
More than 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year, and many organisations predict that this figure will double by 2040.
However, from the extraction of the raw materials needed for its manufacture to its end-of-life, plastic has a considerable impact on biodiversity, the climate, health and human rights:

– Every year, it is estimated that at least 14 million tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean (source: IUCN, 2021), with irreversible impacts on marine biodiversity.
– The cost of environmental damage caused by plastic pollution in marine ecosystems is estimated at 13 billion US dollars (source: UNEP).
– Around 12,000 toxic chemicals are used in packaging and other materials likely migrating into our food and impacting our health.

In light of this, and thanks to the advocacy work carried out by various NGOs (notably the GAIA global network and the Break Free From Plastic movement, of which Surfrider Foundation is a member), in February 2022 the 175 countries taking part in the 5th United Nations Assembly adopted a resolution aimed at putting in place a “legally binding international instrument” to put an end to plastic pollution.

There will be 5 rounds of negotiations, the second being held in France, in Paris, from the 29th of May to the 2nd of June 2023.
During this phase, the governments will discuss the fundamental obligations included in the text, as well as the measures required to implement these. The objective is to reach a first outline of the treaty that is as ambitious as possible, in order to provide a firm basis for the 3rd round of negotiations.

This second round of negotiations will be an opportunity for the High Ambition Coalition, made up of 53 states including the European Union and its members, to put forward an ambitious stance for a legally binding treaty covering the entire plastic life cycle. The objective is not only to limit the production and consumption of plastics, but also to develop the circular economy of plastics to protect health and the environment, and to develop sustainable management and recycling of plastic waste.

The role of the EU is fundamental here: whilst it is being held up as an example for its legislation on plastics, it will also be responsible for voting on behalf of all its Member States.

Like the Kyoto Protocol, the international treaty on plastics could be one of the most important environmental agreements in history. It is therefore vital that the European Union and France seize this opportunity to rise to the challenge and position themselves at the forefront of the fight against plastic pollution, not only in terms of regulation but also in terms of implementation.

To ensure a high level of ambition and a significant reduction in plastic pollution at source, Surfrider Foundation Europe and Zero Waste are proposing a series of recommendations to the Member States, focusing on two main areas:

– Setting a global target of reducing plastic production by 75% by 2050,
– Guaranteeing respect for human rights and social and environmental justice throughout the plastics value chain, limiting impacts on health and the environment to a minimum.

The proposals presented, organised around the 3 life phases of plastics, will have to be controlled and monitored by Member States, in particular through the collection of data on plastics. A series of indicators will also have to be put in place to assess the efforts required to reach the global objectives defined upstream and re-evaluated every 5 years.

Download the full recommendations document

With only a few days to go before the start of this second round of negotiations, Surfrider Foundation Europe is calling on the French government to stand by its strong commitment to a drastic reduction in plastic products and to reject the false solutions that are fuelling the status quo (bioplastics or recycling). To this end, it could seize the proposals put forward by the two associations in order to steer the treaty towards the most ambitious version possible.

Consult the Press Kit

Belonging to the broad family of renewable energies, MRE are energies produced from the resources of the marine environment and particularly from natural forces such as wind (offshore wind), waves (wave energy), water temperature or salinity (thermal or osmotic energy) as well as currents (tidal energy).

Because they present essential complementarities compared to terrestrial RE, we are in favour of the development of MRE production projects. However, we insist on the fact that it is essential that these :
– replace a source of carbon-based energy production (and not add to it) or allow the electrification of certain uses
– become a part of a territorial project, in consultation with users,
– are carefully studied in order to minimise their impact on the environment through a rigorous ecosystem approach.

Offshore wind turbines: a green solution that is gaining momentum

Offshore wind turbines are the most successful and efficient MRE technology, due in particular to the strength and regularity of the wind at sea.

There are two types of offshore wind technologies:
– So-called “land-based” wind turbines – that rest on the seabed (at a maximum depth of 50m) and require drilling to install.
– Floating wind turbines – held and stabilised by a ground anchoring system (cables) and positioned further offshore to exploit stronger and more stable winds.

Offshore wind is a particularly well-developed source of MRE in Europe, with more than 5,000 offshore wind turbines installed over the past 20 years. As Europe’s maritime space is the largest in the world, many European countries have already relied on the power of offshore wind to produce energy.

Assessing the impacts of MRE projects to contain them as much as possible.

The implementation of an offshore wind farm involves an installation phase, an operation/maintenance phase and a dismantling phase.
These different stages inevitably involve multiple impacts and are a source of nuisance both for the underwater fauna and flora and for the people whose daily lives are linked to the ocean.
Whether it is the restriction of fishing zones, the increase in maritime traffic, noise pollution or even the modification of the landscape and the collective imagination linked to the Ocean, the various impacts must be studied beforehand in order to be limited as much as possible.

The integration of the population and local actors in the discussion, upstream of any project of installation of a wind farm, is essential. This will ensure that different opinions are heard.
It is also important to carry out this type of project bearing in mind that it adds to pre-existing uses in an environment that is already constrained (particularly by maritime activities). The revision of maritime spatial planning is necessary in order to make room for wind farms without increasing and accumulating existing pressures, particularly on biodiversity.

While the development of offshore wind farms is one of the pillars of the energy transition, it is essential that their development does not become an additional threat to marine biodiversity.
From the construction phase (pile driving, seismic surveys, etc.) to the dismantling phase (involving heavy maritime traffic), the impacts on the latter are multiple: noise disturbance, risks of collision, modification of living environments, etc.
We believe that it is absolutely essential to carry out upstream impact studies on the potential effects of these different phases on wildlife (including avifauna and marine mammals).
The main objective is to determine the best locations and arrangements for wind turbines with the aim of preserving ecologically important areas, in particular those where marine species are born, grow, feed, reproduce, move around, etc.
Thus, while it may be possible to develop MRE projects in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) (as long as their protection status and management document allow it and if there are no better solutions), any development in MPAs under high or integral protection must remain forbidden.
It is also imperative to ensure careful monitoring throughout the operation of wind projects to measure the impacts on biodiversity over the long term.

Accepting residual impacts for a livable future…

Faced with the climate emergency, we no longer have a choice. We must act to abandon fossil fuels as soon as possible, commit to energy sobriety and favour decarbonised energy alternatives. These include MREs which, while not THE perfect solution, are part of the solution to reduce our GHG emissions.

For this reason, we encourage initiatives related to MRE. We closely follow ongoing projects and attend the various consultation phases (where possible) in order to ensure that the impact on the inhabitants and the environment is as minimal as possible.

We advocate a reasoned MRE development policy: it is important not to consider the ocean as a territory to be conquered and exploited in an unsustainable manner.

The preservation of our seas and lands will inevitably raise the fateful question of resignation. The renouncement of our current consumption patterns, of some of our uses and perhaps even of our attachment to certain landscapes.

One thing is certain: this will be beneficial: it will help to maintain a healthy ocean, capable of playing its role as a climate regulator, limiting the impact on marine fauna and keeping the Earth alive and livable!

It therefore seems essential to us to bear in mind today that MRE production projects have more acceptable impacts than those caused by climate change…

Based on this observation, the European Union has set specific targets: a 55% reduction in GHG emissions (compared to 1990 levels) and the production of 42.5% of electricity from renewable sources within the energy mix by 2030.


To achieve these objectives, many countries are positioning themselves in favour of accelerating the energy transition and are betting on renewable energy sources (RE) to reduce their GHG emissions. 

This is the case, for example, in Sweden and Finland, where the share of renewable energies in the energy mix is now particularly high. Other countries such as Denmark, Spain, Germany and Portugal are relying on the potential of the ocean to produce marine renewable energy (MRE).



Sobriety, decarbonisation, democracy and equality: hallmarks of the energy transition.

The Ocean plays a crucial role in climate regulation. Unfortunately, it is now considerably impacted by global warming. It is therefore necessary to reduce GHG emissions in order to protect it and maintain its regulatory functions. Even if this means committing more firmly to an energy transition involving short-term local impacts.

Fully aware of the issues involved in accelerating the energy transition and its potential impact on the Ocean, we encourage above all

1 – Energy sobriety.

We are convinced that it is necessary, from now on, to reduce our energy consumption and to move towards a sober society in order to move away from fossil fuels (oil, gas, etc.) as quickly as possible. 
 We are therefore positioning ourselves, first and foremost, in favour of energy sobriety.
All energy production has an impact on the environment.

The best energy is the one we do not produce!

2 – Decarbonisation.

Distrustful of offset projects, which serve as pretexts for continuing to emit GHGs and pollute, we advocate decarbonisation of our society and our uses.

Directly linked to the notion of energy sobriety, decarbonisation refers to all measures implemented to reduce GHG emissions. 



3 – Democracy and equality.

We are convinced that the energy transition and the reduction of GHG emissions cannot be achieved without a popular and egalitarian reorganisation of our economic models and lifestyles. 

To achieve this, we believe that it is essential to give a particularly important place to consultation and dialogue. These must involve the various stakeholders in the territories with the aim of changing behaviour and habits in a collective manner.

The importance of a controlled development of renewable energies

The development of low-carbon energies, particularly electricity, is a priority today. Decarbonised energy production technologies must replace the use of fossil fuels, and not add to them. 

For this reason, we believe that the priority should be on renewable energy, including MRE, towards which energy sector funding should be directed.

While we encourage the development of renewable energies in the framework of the energy transition, we remain vigilant on the fact that these projects must be :

– territorial projects. That is to say that they must give rise, throughout the project, to consultation and citizen participation (stakeholders AND users of the territory),

– defined in coherence with urban planning, in line with the territory’s potential and as a substitute for existing carbon-based energy production,

– respectful of the environment. It is essential to carry out upstream environmental studies and assessments beforehand, to take drastic measures to avoid and reduce impacts. Caution should also be required for projects located near or even within protected areas to ensure that conservation objectives are respected. Areas under high or full protection should be absolutely excluded from ENR development projects.

The EU’s strategies for developing renewable energies rely heavily on the potential of the ocean and on marine renewable energies (MRE) in order to achieve the objectives of the energy mix. These will be key components of the European energy system by 2050, and offshore wind turbines in particular, which means that we need to be vigilant about the multiple impacts they will have, especially on marine biodiversity.

Stay tuned, our analysis will be completed shortly…