New Delhi: World Environment Day, which is celebrated on June 05 every year with a different theme, to take collective actions to preserve and protect the planet and its resources.
On this day in particular, the world came to light all of the new problems that our planet is facing and outlined the plans and methods to address them all with governmental and public involvement.
Addressing topics such as deforestation, global warming, and climate change, this year the Wod Environment Day is celebrating under the theme “Putting an End to Plastic Pollution” to encourage communities throughout the globe to adopt and promote sustainable solutions.
This year, World Environment Day will spotlight the growing scientific evidence on the impacts of plastic pollution and drive momentum to refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and rethink plastic use.
It will also reinforce the global commitment made in 2022 to end plastic pollution through a global plastic pollution treaty.
Beat the Plastic Pollution: Plastic pollution exacerbates the deadly impacts of the triple planetary crisis, like climate change, the crisis of nature, land and biodiversity loss, and the crisis of pollution and waste.
Globally, an estimated 11 million tonnes of plastic waste leak into aquatic ecosystems each year, while microplastics accumulate in the soil from sewage and landfills, due to the use of plastics in agricultural products.
According to United Nations, more than 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced every year worldwide, half of which is designed to be used only once. Of that, less than 10 per cent is recycled.
An estimated 11 million tonnes end up in lakes, rivers and seas annually. That is approximately the weight of 2,200 Eiffel Towers all together.
Microplastics – tiny plastic particles up to 5mm in diameter – find their way into food, water and air. It is estimated that each person on the planet consumes more than 50,000 plastic particles per year –and many more if inhalation is considered.
The annual social and environmental cost of plastic pollution ranges between US$300 billion and US$600 billion.
Importance of World Environment Day: The Republic of Korea will host World Environment Day 2025 with a focus on ending plastic pollution globally. The day also comes as countries make progress towards securing a global treaty to end plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.
In November 2024, the Republic of Korea hosted the fifth session of negotiations to develop a plastic pollution treaty. The second part of the session will take place from 5 to 14 August in Geneva, Switzerland.
The negotiations aim to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, as mandated by United Nations Environment Assembly resolution.
“World Environment Day in 2025 will be a watershed moment for the conservation of the global environment as we expect to have concluded the global plastic agreement. As the host country of the 2025 World Environment Day, the Republic of Korea will lead international efforts to prevent plastic pollution,” said Republic of Korea Environment Minister Han Wha-jin.
Ridding the planet of plastic pollution is an important contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including those on climate action, sustainable production and consumption, protection of seas and oceans and repairing ecosystems and retaining biodiversity.
“Strong partners and strong partnerships are the backbone of environmental multilateralism, and UNEP is grateful to the Republic of Korea for taking up the mantle of hosting World Environment Day 2025 in the pursuit of an end to plastic pollution,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP.
About World Environment Day: World Environment Day is the United Nations’ principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment. Held annually since 1973, the Day has also become a vital platform for promoting progress on the environmental dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals.
With the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) at the helm, over 150 countries participate each year. Major corporations, non-governmental organizations, communities, governments and celebrities from across the world adopt the World Environment Day brand to champion environmental causes.
Time is running out, and nature is in emergency mode. To keep global warming below 1.5°C this century, we must halve annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Without action, exposure to air pollution beyond safe guidelines will increase by 50 per cent within the decade and plastic waste flowing into aquatic ecosystems will nearly triple by 2040.
