International Workshop "Impacts of Marine Litter on World Heritage Sites"

From 14 to 16 November 2018, World Heritage marine managers and marine litter experts will discuss the problem of marine litter in World Heritage sites and look at what needs a strategic global solution and what can be done locally. The workshop will take place on the island of Norderney (D).

The increasing amount of marine litter in World Heritage marine sites and its potential impact on the sites' Outstanding Universal Value is a reason of concern. To look into this specific issue for the first time, the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS), the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park Authority and UNESCO’s World Heritage Marine Programme are organizing an international workshop to analyse the specific challenges and needs to protect World Heritage marine sites from pollution by marine litter.

During the workshop, World Heritage marine managers will also exchange best practice examples on marine litter monitoring, awareness raising, and clean up campaigns. World Heritage marine managers share a wealth of solutions and best practices on how to deal with the conservation challenges they face. Bringing these success stories together in ways that make them suitable for replication in other marine areas, is a central part of the World Heritage Marine Programme’s work.