About us
and our work
© Gordon Chambers and Galapagos Conservation Trust
Vision
A future where the Oceans are free from plastic, and where biodiversity is effectively conserved by the people who live closest to it, supported by a global community.
Mission
To protect marine biodiversity and livelihoods by reducing plastic leakage in the Eastern Pacific region
How we are making it happen
Drawing on science and citizen participation, we are working to understand the sources, sinks and drivers of plastic pollution, assess its impact on the natural world, while identifying and testing key intervention points.
We are designing and promoting viable solutions for both populations and industries, to build towards the development of a sustainable, circular plastics resource flow.
Sources
Impacts
Solutions
Click the icons below to find out how we are working towards a plastic free ocean
The problem with plastics
The scale of plastic waste leaking into the oceans is a systematic failure threatening marine ecosystems,
biodiversity,
and livelihoods globally.
The Eastern Pacific is an area of great ecological, economic and conservation importance.
Despite its great natural value, it is under tremendous pressure.
It is estimated that 45% of all plastic used along the Pacific coastline of South and Central America is inadequately managed, generating around 1 million tonnes of plastic waste unaccounted for each year.
This annual figure is predicted to double by 2025
if no action is taken.
For small Islands, such as the Galapagos, the threat is even higher due to a combination of endangered endemic species and the high levels of plastic waste entering the protected area.
This environmental catastrophe not only threatens marine life, but also the livelihoods that depend on the health of this unique biodiversity.
Fisheries and the tourism industry are the sectors most at risk, both representing essential economic activities on which millions of people rely in the East Pacific Region.
Microplastic Research
University of Exeter & Galapagos Conservation Trust
The Galapagos Microplastic research explores the presence, composition and environmental drivers of plastic contamination across the marine ecosystem at an island scale, identifying the most vulnerable vertebrate species in Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands and the possible sources of plastic debris entering the archipelago.
Read the first published paper from this research here
Plastic Free Galapagos
Galapagos Conservation Trust & University of Utrecht
This project seeks to develop a predictive technology that will focus clean-up efforts and efficiently remove plastic pollution before it impacts sensitive wildlife and habitats. Combining ocean data, and using a particle tracking tool, the project will explore the sources of plastic pollution entering Galapagos.
Find out more about University of Utrecht’s project here
COVID-19 lessons from the Global South
Catholic University of the North
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has been extensively used, and discarded PPE has been observed in many different environments, including on tourist beaches. This research examined the distribution and densities of face masks on some of the main tourist beaches in Chile, and we monitored their daily accumulation rates on one beach in northern-central Chile.
Read more about the findings from this research here
Responsible Marine Life Manipulation
ProDelphinus
ProDelphinus’ YouTube channel seeks to provide tools and knowledge to the general public to understand how to correctly free marine life entangled in fishing nets or plastic pollution and return them to the sea while protecting the animal´s wellbeing.
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