World Environment Day 2023: Celebrate, Protect and Restore Our Planet
World Environment Day is a global event to raise awareness and inspire action on the climate crisis.
This year’s theme is “Reimagine. Recreate. Restore.” it calls for collective, transformative action to celebrate, protect and restore our planet.
In 1973, World Environment Day was first held at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and is now the largest global environmental event, with millions of people in more than 150 countries participating.
Côte D’Ivoire hosts the 2023 World Environment Day and marks 50 years since the first global environment summit in Stockholm, which led to the founding of the UNEP.
It is time to save our planet, as we are ending up using the equivalent of 1.6 Earths to uphold our current way of life, and nature cannot keep up with our demands.
We need urgent action to address the pressing issues of climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and waste.
One of the significant challenges we face is plastic pollution. Over 400 million tonnes of plastics are manufactured worldwide, half designed to be used only once.
An estimated 19–23 million tonnes end up in lakes, rivers and seas annually; less than 10 per cent is recycled.
This damages human health and biodiversity and pollutes every ecosystem, from the top of the mountains to the ocean floor.
It is essential to a circular economy that reduces the production and consumption of single-use plastics and promotes reuse, recycling and composting.
By implementing this approach, the influx of plastics into our oceans can be decreased by more than 80 per cent by 2040.
Additionally, it can lead to a 55 per cent reduction in the production of new plastic, resulting in significant cost savings of 70 billion dollars for governments by 2040.
Moreover, it has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent and generate approximately 700,000 new jobs, predominantly in the global south.
We, the people, can play a significant role in this transformation by making simple changes in our daily lives. Here are some tips on how to decrease your plastic footprint:
· Avoid buying products that are over-packaged or wrapped in plastic.
· When you go out, carry your own reusable bags, bottles, cups, straws and cutlery.
· Choose products that are made from natural or recycled materials or that can be easily composted.
· Refuse single-use items such as plastic bags, bottles, cups, straws, and cutlery when offered.
· Recycle or dispose of your plastic waste properly, and never litter.
· Support businesses and non-profit organisations committed to reducing plastic pollution and promoting circular economy solutions.
