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World Environment Day is the UN's most important day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection of our environment. Since it began in 1974, it has grown to become a global platform for public outreach that is widely celebrated in over 100 countries.
“Beat Plastic Pollution”, the theme for World Environment Day 2018, is a call to action for all of us to come together to combat one of the great environmental challenges of our time. The theme invites us all to consider how we can make changes in our everyday lives to reduce the heavy burden of plastic pollution on our natural places, our wildlife and our own health.
As hosts to this year’s World Environment Day, Indian communities large and small will lead a global charge to beat plastic pollution through civic engagement and celebration. With support from an inspiring cross section of Indian society, ranging from cricket pitches to board rooms, we’re witnessing an unprecedented national commitment to this global cause, with the promise to make this the largest and most consequential World Environment Day ever.
Learn more: World Environment Day Official Website
Press Releases:
- One year after the launch of #CleanSeas, the tide is turning
- India Raises Curtain on World Environment Day 2018
- Countdown to World Environment Day is On
- ‘Race Against Plastic’ in Lake Léman sends global message against plastic pollution
- A partnership to green cricket in India
- Two years after it first began, volunteers celebrate visible improvements on Mumbai’s Versova beach
- Exploring alternative materials to reduce plastic pollution
- Taj Mahal takes aim at Plastic Pollution
For Inquiries by Region:
- Global: Keith Weller, Head of News & Media
- India: Jasleen Dhanota, National information Officer
- Europe: Alejandro Laguna Lopez, Regional Information Officer
- North America: Laura Fuller, Regional Information Officer
- Asia Pacific: Adam Hodge, Regional Information Officer
- Africa: Mohamed Atani, Regional Information Officer
- Latin America: Maria Amparo Lasso Lopez. Regional Information Officer
- Executive Office: Stefan Smith, Press Secretary to the Executive Director
Key Facts:
- This year alone, global manufacturers will produce an estimated 360 million tonnes.
- In the next 10-15 years global plastic production is projected to nearly double.
- Production is scheduled to reach 500 million tonnes by 2025 and a staggering 619 million tonnes by 2030.
- Avoiding the worst of these outcomes requires a complete rethinking of the way we produce, use and manage plastic.
- The most common single-use plastics found in the environment are in order of magnitude, cigarette butts, plastic beverage bottles, plastic bottle caps, food wrappers, plastic grocery bags, plastic lids, straws and stirrers, glass beverage bottles, other plastic bags, and foam take-away containers. .
- The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) estimated at 1.3 billion USD the economic impact of marine plastics to the tourism, fishing and shipping industries in that region alone.
- In Europe alone, the estimated costs for cleaning shores and beaches reaches €630 million per year (European Commission, 2015), and studies suggest that the annual economic damage of plastic to the world marine ecosystem is at least 13 billion USD (UNEP, 2014)
- Of the 24 African countries having introduced national bans on plastic bags, more than half (58%) have been implemented between 2014-2017
Key Figures:
- Up to 5 trillion plastic bags are used each year
- 13 million tonnes of plastic leak into the ocean each year
- 17 million barrels of oil used on plastic production each year
- 1 million plastic bottles bought every minute
- 100,000 marine animals killed by plastics each year
- 100 years for plastic to degrade in the environment
- 90% of bottled water found to contain plastic particles
- 83% of tap water found to contain plastic particles
- 50% of consumer plastics are single use
- 10% of all human-generated waste is plastic
Learn more: World Environment Day Key Messages and Calls to Action
Learn more: Report: Single-Use Plastics: A Road map for Sustainability*
*(Embargoed until Tuesday, June 5 @ 6:00 (IST, UTC 5:30)
Background:
- World Environment Day is June 5. It is the UN's most important day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection of our environment.
- Each World Environment Day is organized around a theme that focuses attention on a global environmental concern. The theme for 2018 is beating plastic pollution.
- Every World Environment Day has a different global host country, where the official celebrations take place. The focus on the host country helps highlight the environmental challenges it faces, and supports the effort to address them. This year's host is India.
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