World Environment Day: A Call for global action and responsibility

World Environment Day, celebrated annually on June 5th, is a powerful reminder of humanity's collective responsibility towards the preservation and protection of the environment.

- MOHAMMAD HANIEF

Established by the United Nations in 1972 during the Stockholm Conference on the human environment, this day has grown into a global platform for raising awareness, encouraging action, and promoting sustainable practices to address pressing environmental challenges.

Each year, millions of people across the globe participate in activities aimed at improving the health of our planet. As the threats to our environment become more severe and urgent-ranging from climate change to biodiversity loss and pollution-World Environment Day serves as both a wake-up call and an opportunity to recommit ourselves to environmental stewardship.

The theme for World Environment Day 2025 is "Ending Plastic Pollution", with the global campaign slogan #BeatPlasticPollution. This theme underscores the urgent need to tackle the escalating crisis of plastic waste, which poses significant threats to ecosystems, marine life, and human health.

Globally, over 430 million tonnes of plastic are produced each year, with two-thirds being short-lived products that quickly become waste. This waste often ends up polluting oceans, harming marine life, and entering the human food chain. The 2025 theme aligns with ongoing international efforts to develop a legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution, including in marine environments.

This theme resonates deeply with the global climate agenda and the need to implement practical solutions that not only reduce environmental damage but also reverse it. Restoration can take many forms-from planting trees, cleaning up rivers and coastlines, to adopting regenerative agricultural practices and conserving endangered species.