Upcoming Webinar: Cleaner Seas Begin on Land – Prevention, Zero Waste & Community Action

• February 20, 2026

26 March 2026 | 12:00 CET | Online

The PHAROS Citizen Litter Entrepreneur Programme, in partnership with Impact Hub Athens, announces the fourth instalment of the “Meet the Oceanpreneur” webinar series. This session shifts focus from ocean cleanup to land-based prevention, exploring how upstream solutions can stop marine litter before it reaches our seas.

Event Details

Title: Cleaner Seas Begin on Land: Prevention, Zero Waste & Community Action
Date: Thursday, 26 March 2026
Time: 12:00 – 12:50 CET (50 minutes)
Format: Online via Zoom
Host: Impact Hub Athens

Why Prevention Matters

Marine plastic pollution doesn’t start in the ocean. It begins on land, in our communities, businesses, and consumption patterns. This webinar tackles the problem at its source by showcasing innovative approaches that prevent waste from entering marine ecosystems in the first place.

Participants will discover how zero-waste business models, circular product design, community-led collection schemes, and policy-driven prevention strategies are creating real impact across coastal regions. The session highlights practical solutions that combine environmental protection with inclusive economic opportunities for local communities.

What to Expect

The 50-minute session follows an interactive format designed to maximise learning and exchange:

• Two speaker spotlights (≈10 minutes each) featuring practitioners and innovators sharing real-world prevention initiatives
• Moderated dialogue (≈20 minutes) exploring challenges, successes, and scalable approaches
• Audience Q&A (≈10 minutes) for direct engagement with speakers and participants

The discussion will examine how sustainable consumption, responsible production, and local engagement can significantly reduce waste flows before they reach rivers and seas, whilst creating resilient circular economies at the local level.

Session Objectives

This webinar aims to:

Shift the focus from cleanup at sea to prevention on land through sustainable consumption and responsible production.

Explore practical strategies including zero-waste approaches, circular product design, and local collection schemes that reduce, redesign, and eliminate plastic waste flows.

Highlight the role of communities, municipalities, and entrepreneurs in driving prevention-first approaches to marine litter.

Encourage cross-sector collaboration between citizens, businesses, public authorities, and researchers to build strong zero-waste ecosystems.

Inspire replication of scalable, upstream solutions aligned with Mission Ocean goals for cleaner, plastic-free coasts.

Who Should Attend

This session is designed for:

• Mission Ocean projects and partners
• Researchers working on marine pollution and circular economy
• Startups and social enterprises in the blue economy
• Local authorities and policymakers
• Civil society organisations and NGOs
• Community leaders and environmental advocates
• Anyone committed to building plastic-free coastal futures

Join Us

The webinar represents a critical conversation about changing our approach to marine litter. Rather than focusing solely on cleaning what has already entered our oceans, this session empowers participants to become agents of prevention in their own communities and sectors.

By bringing together diverse perspectives from across Europe and the Mediterranean, the event fosters the cross-sector collaboration essential for systemic change.

Registration details and webinar link will be announced shortly.

About the PHAROS Citizen Litter Entrepreneur Programme

The Citizen Litter Entrepreneur Programme is part of the EU-funded PHAROS project, which develops innovative nature-based solutions to restore marine ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and address climate change across the Atlantic and Arctic regions. The programme empowers citizens and entrepreneurs to transform ocean plastic waste into sustainable business opportunities through training, tools, and circular economy ventures.