New research shows no one is immune to the plastic and chemical pollution crisis ❌ A shocking new study shows that every European minister tested had PFAS, toxic ‘forever chemicals,’ in their blood. This investigation is another wake-up call to the dangers of plastics to human health.

Indigenous and traditional peoples in impacted biomes bear the brunt of the climate crisis they did not cause. It is critical that these women working to protect the Pantanal have their voices heard. We look forward to continuing to work with them and bring their expertise to the global stage.

🌎 Women of the Pantanal connect with #COP30 leaders Last week, attended a meeting with COP30 Special Envoys and other women of the Pantanal to discuss the impacts of the climate crisis on their lives and livelihoods. We provided support for women from our Environmental Defenders program to attend.

Freshwater wetlands are irreplaceable carbon vaults and vital homes for people and wildlife. From including wetlands into national climate commitments to delivering finance for their protection and restoration, wetlands must be integrated into climate action at the upcoming #COP30 and beyond.

Peatlands cover just 3-4% of the Earth’s land surface, but they contain as much carbon as all of the world’s forests and store up to ⅓ of the world’s soil carbon. Despite this, wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests, releasing vast stores of carbon accumulated over millennia.

💧🌱 Freshwater wetlands – our most powerful, but neglected climate allies They store vast amounts of carbon, regulate water flows, and sustain biodiversity and livelihoods worldwide. However, our new report reveals how they are being destroyed at alarming rates, fatally undermining climate goals.

🚨 URGENT: ONLY 1 WEEK LEFT to tell UK Govt to safeguard marine protected areas from bottom-trawl fishing 🪸 We need YOU to help us demand a ban and protect our precious ocean habitats! 🌊 Take action today! The countdown is on ⌛️🔽 only.one/act/uk-mpa-c...

🚨 Time's running out to tell gov you want bottom trawling OUT of protected waters. We need a wave of ocean warriors to take a stand & take action. Otherwise, gov will only hear the deafening calls of Big Industry, angling for a quick profit at the expense of our seas. ACT: https://bit.ly/42b3BBj

🐟 New European Union-funded report on Liberia’s small-scale fisheries 🇱🇷 Liberia’s small-scale fisheries are the backbone of coastal livelihoods, but they face mounting threats from coastal erosion, mangrove destruction, and insecure land rights. Read the report ⬇️ ejfoundation.org/reports/fish...

We find that without secure access to landing sites and processing areas, fishing communities could be displaced, undermining their livelihoods & threatening national food supplies. We call on the Liberian government and international partners to act swiftly to protect fishers’ rights.

📸 Peak nesting is expected between October and December, but the beaches are already full of life. Turtles are leaving their winding, uneven tracks in the sand, as they cross the shore in search of a spot to lay their eggs.

🌊🐢 The 2025/2026 sea turtle nesting season has officially begun in Ghana! Our dedicated turtle patrollers in Gomoa Fetteh and Senya Beraku recorded 11 Olive Ridley nests and safely released 2 Green turtles that had been caught as bycatch. It’s a strong, hopeful start to the season.

Governments globally must also endorse and implement the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, a set of low- or no-cost actions to drive progress towards legal, ethical and sustainable fisheries. Read the Global Charter here: ejfoundation.org/reports/glob...

🛒 There is a high risk that squid products associated with these human rights and environmental abuses are ending up in major markets, including the EU, North America, and the UK. Now is the time for greater international cooperation and transparency. Our report: ejfoundation.org/reports/brig...

They reported beatings, excessive working hours and intimidation. This often intersected with illegal and cruel fishing practices, such as shark finning and the deliberate killing of marine mammals. We found that almost ⅔ of Chinese squid vessels were linked to deaths or physical assaults on board.

🚨 “Every day, we lived surrounded by violence.” Through interviews with Indonesian and Filipino crew who worked on board Chinese squid fishing vessels in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean, we uncovered a grim picture of the living and working conditions they faced. Read more in @elpais.com 🗞

This treaty has been long overdue, and will protect marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of coastal communities. We applaud this important milestone for ocean governance and encourage the remaining countries to ratify the treaty. It’s time for tangible action: news.un.org/en/story/202...

🌊 A historic win for our ocean 👏 On Friday, the #HighSeasTreaty reached its 60th ratification needed to enter into force. This is an important moment for ocean protection and collective action on the global stage. It covers the most remote parts of the ocean in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

⚖️ The Cameroonian government has taken some encouraging steps so far, including endorsing the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, but much more must be done to ensure that laws are enforced, perpetrators are held to account, and transparency becomes the norm. Watch the full film:

🔍 On board these vessels, the situation is also dire. Crew face gruelling and abusive conditions, with no contracts, inadequate food and water, and violence at the hands of foreign officers.

🎬 Our new film exposes the hidden toll of illegal fishing in Cameroon 🐟 In 🇨🇲, widespread lawbreaking and human rights abuses at sea are wiping out jobs, destroying ecosystems, and leading to the exploitation of crew.

Over 80% of the fish eaten in the UK is imported. The UK has the power, opportunity and responsibility to take action to drive positive change in the global fishing industry. The government to take immediate action to stamp out illegal seafood imports into the UK. Read more in our report:

🟨🟥 The EU’s carding system has been a tool for addressing illegal fishing and has incentivised reforms worldwide. But since Brexit, the UK has stopped using this powerful tool. In 2024, more than ¼ of UK seafood imports came from countries within a ‘yellow card’ warning by the European Commission.

Critical checks on seafood coming into the country have dropped to alarmingly low levels since the UK left the EU. This left the government effectively blind as to whether the seafood reaching the public’s plates is linked to human rights abuses and the destruction of ocean ecosystems 🎬

This agreement is a major milestone that will help restore fish populations, and also support the livelihoods of small-scale fishers and coastal communities. Now is the time to continue this spirit of cooperation and sustainability by implementing and enforcing the agreement without delay.

The @wto.org’s Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies has entered into force 👏 Billions of dollars have long propped up unsustainable fishing practices that are pushing fish populations to the brink of collapse. This agreement is a critical step towards curtailing overfishing & illegal fishing globally.

Products linked to these abuses may be entering major markets. We call for action to: ➡️ Establish science-based catch limits and monitoring for squid ➡️ End the use of forced labour and ensure full traceability of supply chains ➡️ Strengthen port controls and ban imports linked to illegal practices

Off the coast of Argentina each year, hundreds of fishing vessels descend to catch shortfin squid. This fleet has exploded in recent years. The area they fish in is largely unregulated – as a result, marine ecosystems & the human rights of crew are put at risk. Read more in @washingtonpost.com 🗞

🚨 New investigation 🦑 Hundreds of distant-water vessels are plundering squid populations in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean, driving this keystone species towards collapse and exposing workers to horrific abuses. Read the report: ejfoundation.org/reports/brig...

Super proud of what we accomplished in #Liberia in the last five years working with the fantastic team at @ejfoundation.org Watch our impact film youtu.be/p4rmTBtI2_U?...

The UK Government must: ➡️ Update and digitise its catch certification system ➡️ Introduce a carding system to warn and sanction states failing to combat IUU fishing ➡️ Restore lost monitoring and reporting capacity on seafood import checks ➡️ Implement the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency

Every time someone in the UK goes to the supermarket or their local seafood restaurant, they deserve to know that the fish they are buying is not tainted by environmental destruction and exploitation. The UK Government must significantly strengthen its controls on seafood imports.

Critical checks on seafood coming into the UK have dropped to alarmingly low levels since Brexit, finds our new report. Consumers have been left at risk of buying seafood tainted by environmental destruction, forced labour or even slavery. More from @adamvaughan.bsky.social in @thetimes.com 🗞️ ⬇️

🐟 New investigation 🐟 The report finds that there has been a near-total end to checks on imported seafood after Brexit. As a result, UK consumers may unknowingly be buying seafood linked to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and severe human rights abuses.

@ejfoundation.org has released a new report,“Building it bottom-up: Collaborative Management Association formation guide and lessons from Liberia”. It recommends steps to ensure effective implementation of co-management associations in Liberia and other countries. ejfoundation.org/reports/buil...

Liberia’s Collaborative Management Associations (CMAs) are transforming fisheries governance and empowering coastal communities. The lessons from our European Union funded Communities for Fisheries project provide a valuable roadmap for ensuring sustainable oceans and resilient communities:

We commend the President, Minister Arthur and Ghana’s parliament for this bold step forward. The focus must now be on implementation – with effective monitoring, transparent governance, and penalties, the Bill can deliver on its promise of rebuilding Ghana’s fisheries & protecting ocean ecosystems.

The Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill introduces critical reforms, including the long-awaited expansion of Ghana’s Inshore Exclusive Zone (IEZ) from 6 to 12 nautical miles. This extended area will shield artisanal fishers from destructive industrial trawlers that have too often encroached illegally.

We are happy and proud to announce that our film “Pantanal” is a finalist for the Jackson Wild x Earth Alliance Impact Pitch Media Award 🎥 We are honoured that the Pantanal and its defenders will be spotlighted on this stage 🌍

"Pantanal" tells the story of the world’s largest tropical wetland, its extraordinary biodiversity, and the Indigenous and local communities working to protect it from the frontlines. Watch the trailer here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfyE...

As #COP30 approaches in Brazil, there is also no clear international framework or financing mechanism that centres wetlands in climate action. This must change – "We must place them at the heart of the climate agenda, recognizing their vital role in cooling a fevered planet." Read the full op-ed:

Wetlands like the Pantanal are regulators of Earth’s climate, acting as powerful carbon sinks. Despite their importance, wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests. The role of wetlands for climate is severely undervalued, and in turn, underfunded and unprotected. @mongabay.com

Today, we celebrate a landmark moment for Ghana’s fisheries: the President has signed the Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill, without amendments 👏 This bold act of leadership ensures the protection of small-scale fishers, strengthens food security, and lays the foundation for ecosystems to recover.

A win for Ghana's fisheries! H.E. President Mahama has signed the Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill into law (Act 1146)!

They worked until the very end to secure a strong treaty, but obstruction from a small group of oil- and plastic-producing nations and fossil fuel lobbyists, prevented progress. The majority of nations in Geneva pushed for real solutions. They refused to accept a deal that would fall short.

We're #Hiring an EU Communications Officer! We're looking for someone with a proven track record of securing high-level media coverage for environmental campaigns. They must have professional fluency in English and either French or Spanish. Apply by August 29th: ejfoundation.org/jobs/eu-comm...

Negotiations for a #GlobalPlasticsTreaty have adjourned without an agreement, as high-ambition nations, reflecting the large majority represented at the meeting, refused to accept a weak text that would have locked in the global plastics crisis. ejfoundation.org/news-media/h...

To ensure a sustainable ocean, transparency must be at the heart of fisheries management. Read our new report on fisheries transparency in Liberia: ejfoundation.org/reports/unch...

Transparency is cardinal to sustainable fisheries frontpageafricaonline.com/news/liberia...

Liberia’s recent commitment to the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency was another critical step towards more sustainable and legal fisheries, but the report finds that more action must be taken to implement its principles. Read the Charter: fisheriestransparency.net/wp-content/u...