Our environment consists of all the living and non-living elements that surround us and interact with us and each other.
Environments evolve to sustain a balanced co-existence. Environmental balance is tipped when one or several elements proliferate beyond control.
World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5, every year, across the globe to raise awareness about the need to protect our environment.
The theme for World Environment Day 2023 is “Beat Plastic Pollution,” shared with the social media hashtag #BeatPlasticPollution. Plastic pollution is growing beyond human control. Urgent action is needed to contain and replace them with environment-friendly materials.
World Environment Day 2023 is being hosted by the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, also known as Ivory Coast, in West Africa.
The Netherlands will be its partner this year. Côte d’Ivoire has already banned plastic bags.
As per the United Nations (UN), over 400 million plastic is produced worldwide, annually. 50 percent of it is single-use plastic and only 10 percent gets recycled. These plastic wastes eventually enter rivers, lakes and oceans and endanger marine life. Plastic wastes and microplastics have even been found on Mount Everest as well.
Studies have revealed that microplastics or plastic debris have even entered our bloodstreams through inhalation, consumption of food and water contaminated with microplastics.
The chemical additives in plastics can cause endocrine disruption, reproductive problems, diabetes, obesity, asthma, neurodevelopmental defects and even cancers. They accumulate over time in our organs, particularly our lungs, liver, kidneys and spleen.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) organises World Environment Day annually. It was established by the UN at the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment in 1972.
The first World Environment day was celebrated a year later. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the celebrations.
The significance of the day lies in its impact. On March 2, 2022, 175 UN member states signed a resolution adopted by the United Nations Environment Assembly to end plastic pollution. A legally binding agreement will be formulated by 2024.