Talking politics

The ocean is on the brink of collapse. It needs laws to protect it.

We use people power to speak up for the ocean, calling for urgent and transformative action.

What do we do?

We make the voice of the ocean heard within the parliaments and governments of the UK.

We take your voice to the corridors of power. Your citizen science drives our work. It shapes our responses to government consultations and helps us to prove that the issues you see every day are real issues that need addressing. This powers our demands for action and evidences the need for initiatives such as bans on single-use plastics.

We engage with politicians from all parties and positions. From Members of Parliament to Senedd members, ministers to backbenchers, we educate decision-makers on issues facing the ocean, encouraging them to use their power to deliver the laws and policies needed for a thriving ocean and thriving people.

We push for better environmental laws. We make waves by backing amendments, supporting new legislation, and asking the government questions to challenge the status quo.

We empower you to challenge the people in power. Politicians are elected to represent you. You have a right to demand better protection for the ocean. That’s why we empower you to press local politicians for change and call them out on their crap.

Working together helps to amplify our voice. As part of a number of coalitions and alliances, we work alongside partners to tackle threats to our blue planet. We are the founders of the End Sewage Pollution Coalition, and a key partner of Wildlife and Countryside Link, The Climate Coalition, and Break Free From Plastic. 

Our theory of change is that long-term systematic change comes from tackling four interlinked areas: community actions, laws, policies and business practices,

Where have we turned the tide?

• We ensured the UK government and devolved administrations banned single-use items including plastic straws, cotton buds and stirrers.
• We told the Government to cut the crap, forcing landmark changes to their Environment Act and stronger laws to end sewage pollution. As part of this we shaped the Sewage (Inland Waters) Bill, securing backing from over 130 MPs.
• Our Message in a Bottle petition, supported by 329,000 ocean activists, ensured the Government committed to a Deposit Return Scheme.
• We supported young people to create a Youth Ocean and Climate Manifesto and delivered this to the UK Government, demanding action.
• Through the Ocean Conservation APPG we helped to turn the UK Parliament plastic free.
• We collaborated with the Wildlife and Countryside Link to create an Ocean Recovery Manifesto, providing a vision for restoring the Ocean by 2030.