Brazil – National Strategy Ocean Without Plastic

Brazil launches national strategy to combat plastic pollution in the oceans: an environmental milestone between 2025 and 2030

The Federal Government has just taken a historic step in the fight against marine pollution: the National Strategy Ocean Without Plastic (ENOP) was established through Decree No. 12,644, published on October 1, 2025. The initiative, to be implemented by 2030, aims to coordinate public policies to prevent, reduce, and eliminate plastic pollution in Brazilian oceans.

🌊 What is ENOP?

ENOP is an integrated strategy that recognizes the ocean as essential for climate regulation, biodiversity, and social well-being. It proposes synergistic actions among government, private sector, civil society, scientific community, and coastal populations. The “source-to-sea” approach is central: it seeks to combat pollution from terrestrial to marine environments, considering the plastic life cycle and its dispersion routes.

🧭 Principles and guidelines

ENOP’s principles include:

•  Recognition of the impacts of plastic on biodiversity, human health, and food security.

•  Appreciation of waste pickers and the environmental services they provide.

•  The importance of polar regions and the southern portion of the ocean as regulators of the global climate.

The guidelines include:

•  Promotion of the circular economy.

•  International cooperation.

•  Mobilization of society and environmental education.

•  Gradual replacement of single-use plastics and low-recyclability packaging.

🛠️ Action pillars

The strategy will be implemented through eight pillars:

1.  Standardization and Regulation – creation of rules to reduce plastic use and encourage sustainable alternatives.

2.  Prevention and Circularity – promotion of recycling, reuse, and material certification.

3.  Removal and Remediation – ecosystem cleanup and recovery of degraded areas.

4.  Environmental Education and Public Awareness – campaigns, volunteer efforts, and inclusion of the topic in school curricula.

5.  Science, Technology, and Innovation – development of technological solutions and studies on plastic impacts.

6.  Training and Technical Assistance – professional development and support for public managers.

7.  Diagnosis, Monitoring, and Evaluation – pollution mapping and creation of data repositories.

8.  Promotion and Financing – financial support for projects, cooperatives, and research.

🤝 Governance and implementation

ENOP will be coordinated by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, with participation from the Ministries of Science, Technology and Innovation, Fisheries and Aquaculture, and Development, Industry, Commerce and Services. The action plan will be launched within 90 days of the decree’s publication.

🌍 A commitment to the future

The strategy aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 14 – Life Below Water. It also contributes to the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030), reinforcing Brazil’s role as a leader in the global environmental agenda.

ENOP represents a unique opportunity to transform the country’s relationship with plastic, promoting innovation, social justice, and sustainability. It’s time to join forces to ensure a clean, healthy, and productive ocean for future generations.

The expected impacts of the National Strategy Ocean Without Plastic (ENOP) include a significant reduction in marine plastic pollution, protection of ocean biodiversity, and strengthening of the circular economy in Brazil by 2030.

🌱 Environmental impacts

•  Reduction of plastic entering the oceans**, especially single-use and low-recyclability plastics.

•  Preservation of marine biodiversity**, preventing animal deaths from ingestion or entanglement in plastic waste.

•  Improvement of coastal and marine ecosystem quality**, through cleanup, remediation, and recovery of degraded areas.

🧪 Scientific and technological impacts

•  Promotion of research and innovation**, with development of technologies for monitoring, recycling, and replacing conventional plastics.

•  Creation of data repositories and monitoring systems**, enabling evaluation of action effectiveness and guiding future public policies.

👥 Social and economic impacts

•  Appreciation of waste pickers and recycling cooperatives**, recognizing their essential role in waste management.

•  Generation of green jobs**, with technical training and support for sustainable projects in coastal communities.

•  Promotion of environmental education**, through campaigns and inclusion of the topic in school curricula, aiming for long-term behavioral change.

🌍 International and strategic impacts

•  Alignment with global commitments**, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Decade of Ocean Science.

•  Strengthening Brazil’s image as an environmental leader**, by adopting a comprehensive and participatory strategy to tackle plastic pollution.

This strategy represents a paradigm shift in plastic waste management, promoting an integrated “source-to-sea” approach and mobilizing various sectors of society.

Source: [Decreto nº 12.644/2025 – IN.gov.br](https://www.in.gov.br/en/web/dou/-/decreto-n-12.644-de-1-de-outubro-de-2025-659715944).