Charting plastic shores: environmental NGOs bridging historical data gaps for coastal litter management in Cyprus

Abstract Marine litter monitoring is a key component in management that foster conducive progress along the world’s coastlines. In the absence of long-term efforts, historical data deem crucial for assessing coastal litter, particularly in understudied regions. This study highlights the pivotal role of environmental NGOs working with citizen scientists through proactive clean-up and data collection initiatives during periods when research and national monitoring efforts were lacking in the island of Cyprus. The outcome of these initiatives provided invaluable insights into the historical state of Cyprus’s coastal fronts, bridging critical data gaps essential for informed policymaking. The results underscore the harmful and variable nature of coastal litter and the persistent pollution rates observed from 2014 to 2018. Most anthropogenic debris was mainly plastic, originating from recreational activities of visitors, deliberate dumping, and sea-based transport. While subsequent studies showed an improvement of litter densities by 2021, this decline is largely attributed to the COVID-19 lockdowns, and heightened awareness alongside intensified clean-up efforts. To sustain long-term clean coasts, clean-ups play an imperative role as tools for awareness and monitoring. Local authorities worldwide ought to reconcile economic instrument strategies to minimise littering behaviour and invest in research and development to tackle marine debris, aligning with the precious plastic concept.