The GCT team recently travelled to Paris to attend the second session of the UN’s intergovernmental negotiations on the future international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution (INC-2). While in Paris, the team was lucky enough to speak with Ambassador Luis Vayas Valdivieso, Ecuador’s current Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and one of the elected Chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee. We talked to Ambassador Vayas about the progress of the treaty negotiations, the threats to both wildlife and human health posed by plastic pollution and most importantly, why he beli ..read more

Finding global, upstream solutions to plastic pollution Earlier this month, GCT team members attended the second round of negotiations for a global agreement to end plastic pollution in Paris, France, to provide science to solutions evidence, and to represent our Pacific Plastics: Science to Solutions (PPSS) partners across Galapagos and the wider Eastern Pacific region.   For the past five years, we have been gathering a wealth of evidence about the sources and impacts of plastic pollution washing into Galapagos and testing locally relevant solutions. We are using our science to solution ..read more

After two years of working together online, persevering through dodgy internet connections, multiple time zones and the minor issue of a global pandemic, our network of over 60 change-makers finally met face-to-face during a workshop hosted by one of our partners, the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP), in November 2022. In total, 65 participants from 22 institutions and four countries came together to share results, discuss next steps, and workshop ideas to ensure impactful outcomes over the next two years. Over three days, we heard from all areas of our network, mapping everything ..read more

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our spring webinar on 23 May 2023 – ‘Connecting the Dots: Galapagos Marine Life and the Wider Pacific’. It was a fascinating, inspiring and, at times, shocking look at the threats to wildlife in the seas around Galapagos. A total of 450 people from 30 different countries registered for the event, with every continent except for Antarctica represented, demonstrating how this incredibly special place continues to inspire and fascinate so many people around the globe. If you missed the webinar or you would like to see it again, you can watch the recording b ..read more

I consider myself truly privileged to have been involved in marine conservation field work in some iconic places, from the Hebrides and the Mediterranean to the Great Barrier Reef, the South Sea islands and South East Asia. But nowhere really compares to Galapagos. The combination of the Archipelago’s remoteness, its stringent levels of protection, the dramatic wind-swept volcanic coastlines, and of course the sheer abundance and diversity of the spectacular wildlife, make working there an unforgettable experience. But these same characteristics can make it a challenging place for field work ..read more

On 2nd March 2022, nearly 200 countries agreed to start negotiations on an international legally binding agreement to ‘end plastic pollution’. Achieving such an ambitious goal means addressing the entire life cycle of plastic, including its production, design and disposal, and world leaders have until 2024 to agree on the treaty, including which elements will be legally binding and how the deal will be financed.  Galapagos Conservation Trust works with various partners through the Pacific Plastics: Science to Solutions (PPSS) network and supports the actions of UK and Ecuadorian governmen ..read more

The World Summit on Island Sustainability was hosted from 26 June to 30 June in Galapagos, at the Galapagos Science Center on San Cristobal Island.  During this international event, scientists shared their research in relation to island conservation and sustainability, including GCT’s President, Monty Halls and our Head of Programmes, Dr Jen Jones. Our Head of Programmes, Jen Jones and GCT President Monty Halls both spoke at the 2022 World Summit on Island Sustainability © GCTIslands are epicentres of biodiversity loss The heightened impact of invasive species and climate change on island ..read more

Will Seymour, a Masters student studying Global Sustainability Solutions at the University of Exeter, has been exploring the relationship between the tourism industry and plastic waste in Galapagos. As part of his course, Will had the opportunity to undertake an internship with Galapagos Conservation Trust (GCT). Here he tells us how his research can help advocate for more sustainable solutions to waste management on the Islands. Tourism and Plastic Waste: Driving Sustainable Solutions in Galapagos Ever since Darwin arrived in Galapagos in 1835, the Islands have become synonymous with conserva ..read more

Rebalancing the Scales for Ocean Protection in Galapagos and the Eastern Tropical Pacific For many years, Galapagos Conservation Trust has been working towards increasing the protection of the oceans around the Galapagos Islands to benefit both wildlife and the local population. Following the creation of the new Hermandad Marine Reserve, which added another 60,000km2 of marine protection, we are now supporting partners to measure the impact of, and enforce this, new reserve. Therefore, we were delighted to be invited to speak at Monaco Ocean Week on 23 March 2022, to discuss the scientific and ..read more

Our international group of changemakers, Pacific Plastics: from Science to Solutions, are working together to rid the Eastern Pacific Ocean of plastic pollution. For the last 50-60 years, our reliance on plastics has left the world with a ‘Wicked Problem’ – a problem that contains so much complexity that a single discipline cannot solve it. Plastic pollution can be seen as waste, a resource, and an economic, societal, or systemic problem. Therefore, combatting the plastic issue requires a multidisciplinary approach on a regional scale, addressing the cycle of plastic production, consumption, a ..read more