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World Environment Day 2025

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, celebrated World Environment Day 2025 on 5th June at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, under the slogan ‘One Nation, One Mission: End Plastic Pollution’.

Nationwide Campaign:

» The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched a nationwide mass mobilisation campaign ‘One Nation, One Mission: End Plastic Pollution’, in the run up to World Environment Day 2025.

  • This campaign highlights India’s unwavering commitment to environmental protection and sustainability, aligned with India’s flagship initiative—Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment).
National Plastic Waste Reporting Portal:

» The National Plastic Waste Reporting Portal was also launched during the event, which is a transformational step in moving away from multi step physical reporting to online reporting.

  • The portal captures the complete plastic waste management ecosystem from waste pickers to waste processing to disposal, ensuring transparency and effective monitoring.
  • The data on plastic waste management for all Urban Local Bodies and District Panchayats from across the country will become available for better planning and waste management.
Two important publications were also released.
  1. The first publication on Government Initiatives on Ending Plastic Pollution covers the steps taken by the Government to address plastic pollution. The book showcased the strength of collective action by all stakeholders including Government and Industry.
  2. A Compendium on Eco alternatives to banned single use plastics was also released. The compendium is a comprehensive compilation of eco-alternatives available across the country.
Other Activities by MoEFCC:
  • The dignitaries presented awards to 21 winners of Ideas4LiFE initiative across seven LiFE themes.
  • A National Plastic Pollution Reduction Campaign with a series of planned initiatives was also launched.
  • Keeping in view the focus of the Government on addressing plastic pollution, a National Expo on eco-alternatives to banned single-use plastic was also organized.
  • Three technical sessions were organized on ‘Perspectives of local bodies on plastic waste’; ‘Promoting startups in Eco-alternatives and plastic waste management’; and ‘EPR on plastic packaging: opportunities and way forward’.
World Environment Day 2025
» World Environment Day is an annual event celebrated across the world on June 5 to create awareness on environmental issues.

UN's Theme for World Environment Day 2025:

The theme for World Environment Day 2025 focuses on ‘Ending Plastic Pollution Globally’.

Campaign:

» World Environment Day this year joins forces with the #BeatPlasticPollution campaign led by UNEP to inspire communities around the world to implement and advocate for solutions.

  • Celebrated in over 150 countries, it unites people to take action on urgent environmental issues.
  • The campaign urges everyone to refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink how we use plastic in daily life.
Global Host Country:

Republic of Korea acted as global host of the World Environment Day 2025.

  • This is the second time the Republic of Korea hosted the global observation for World Environment Day. It first hosted the Day in 1997 under the theme “For Life on Earth”.
Background:

» World Environment Day is the biggest international day for the environment.

  • The year 1972 marked a turning point in the development of international environmental politics, with the first major conference on environmental issues, known as the Conference on the Human Environment, or the Stockholm Conference.
  • Later that year, on 15 December, the General Assembly adopted a resolution (A/RES/2994 (XXVII)) designating June 5 as World Environment Day.
  • The day marks the opening of the Stockholm Conference on Humans interfering with the Environment.
  • Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and held every year since 1973, it has become the biggest global platform for environmental awareness.
Significance:
  • World Environment Day is an occasion which brings together millions of people across the globe for awareness and action for the environment.
  • World Environment Day highlights the protection and health of the environment is a major issue, which affects the well-being of peoples and economic development throughout the world.
  • The celebration of this day provides us with an opportunity to broaden the basis for an enlightened opinion and responsible conduct by individuals, enterprises and communities in preserving and enhancing the environment.
Celebration by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), India:

» On the occasion of World Environment Day 2025, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) reaffirmed its commitment to environmental justice and worker dignity.

  • The Ministry launched a Nationwide Digital Application – Waste Picker Enumeration App – for profiling Waste Pickers under the NAMASTE Scheme, in New Delhi.
About NAMASTE Scheme:

» National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) is an ongoing Central Sector Scheme.

  • It is jointly implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) with National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC) being implementation agency for sewer and septic tank workers (SSWs).
  • The scheme expanded its mandate in June 2024 to include Waste Pickers.
India’s Key Initiatives to Manage Plastic Waste:

» India has adopted a strong legal and policy framework to tackle the plastic waste crisis. Through laws, reforms and missions, the country is working to ensure responsible plastic use, recycling, and disposal.

» The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, has notified various waste management rules to ensure the environmentally sound handling of waste.

  • One such rule is the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, which strengthens regulations on plastic waste to promote sustainability and reduce pollution.
Key provisions under the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021:
  • Ban on Identified Single-Use Plastics: Items with low utility and high littering potential banned from 1st July 2022.
  • Ban on Thin Plastic Carry Bags: Plastic bags with thickness less than 120 microns banned from 31st December 2022.
  • Ban on Lightweight Non-Woven Bags: Non-woven plastic carry bags below 60 GSM (grams per square meter) banned from 30th September 2021.
  • State-Level Action: In addition to national rules, many States and UTs have issued their own orders and notifications for partial or complete bans on single-use plastics and carry bags.
Source: PIB
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