Blue Planet II has highlighted vividly the sea of plastic contaminating our oceans and coastlines and impacting on sea life. If we do nothing the amount of plastic waste in our seas will outweigh fish by 2050.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove has pledged action but hasn’t said how we are going to deal with thousands of tonnes of plastic waste currently exported to China – a market that will soon be closed to us. I am glad Blue Planet II has moved him, but we need green actions to deal with this issue.

At our autumn conference, Green Party members supported a motion calling for a ban on all unnecessary single-use plastics. Similarly, the European Parliament voted to phase out harmful and single-use plastics.

The European Commission also has an important role to play, which is why I have written to them urging greater support to EU countries in handling more of their plastic waste at home instead of exporting the problem to other countries.

They also need to incentivise moves towards a ‘circular economy’, where recycling and reuse become the norm.

Getting a grip on this problem that is choking our seas is particularly vital to protect the south west’s iconic coastline and important sea life.

Our region has the longest coastline in all of England, totalling 630 miles.

Phasing out and then banning unnecessary single use plastics will go a long way to addressing this scourge.

Molly Scott Cato, Green MEP

European Parliament, Brussels