The issue of pollution in the Mediterranean Sea is increasingly vital because of the need to preserve the marine ecosystem and, not least, the many archaeological and biological parks in the territorial waters of coastal countries. As part of the Spanish Presidency of the European semester, during the 14th Festival of Diplomacy, the impact and possible safeguards of these protected areas will be discussed. The Goletta Verde survey conducted in 2023 along the Italian coasts shows that 36 percent, pollution is above legal limits, and 30 percent are considered heavily polluted. While, as for the Mediterranean, UNEP data tell us that microplastics are the main source of pollution. Specifically, it is estimated that 730 tons of plastic waste reach the sea every day; that plastics account for 95 percent of the floating waste in the sea and more than 50 percent of the waste on the seabed; and that single-use plastics account for more than 60 percent of the waste on beaches. These figures are alarming and should make us reflect on how we need to monitor and protect the sea to safeguard our ecosystem and promote a truly sustainable blue economy
