World Environment Day: Creative solutions to plastic pollution showcased

The World Environment Day 2023 was celebrated on June 5. It was the 50th anniversary of what can arguably be termed as the largest global platform for public outreach related to the environment. It witnessed millions of people coming together globally to increase awareness about the various solutions that we have to combat plastic pollution. Over 160 countries came together. The event was hosted by Côte d’Ivoire, with substantial support from another country, which was the Netherlands in this case.

It would take a holistic societal approach in order to tackle plastic pollution, said United Nations, Secretary, General António Guterres in his message, commemorating the World Environment Day 2023.

“We should work as one–governments, companies and consumers–to break the addiction to plastics, and champion zero waste, and also build a circular economy,” he highlighted.

There were multiple events organized in the city of Abidjan, which went a long way to highlight the host country’s (Côte d’Ivoire’s) efforts towards tackling plastic pollution.

Leaders from the Ministry of Environment of Côte d’Ivoire along with UNEP, Executive Director, Inger Andersen made visits to the Ébérie Lagoon in order to discuss various efforts that were being made in order to address the grave problem of plastic waste.

In the city of Abidjan, various business leaders and corporate heads from the continent of Africa gathered at the Africa CEO Forum. At the event, they discussed solutions to the problem of plastic pollution. Minister of Culture and Francophonie Françoise Remarck also inaugurated an art exhibit titled Art, Polymers, and Plastics at the Abobo Museum of Contemporary Art and Culture. It featured several sculptures, paintings, fashion as well as other creative artworks which were made using plastic waste.

Globally, campaigns to increase awareness, such as, sporting and community events, beach clean-ups, were able to highlight the global movement towards a lifecycle approach to the problem of plastic pollution.
Kate Strong, a British cyclist, set out on a 4800-km journey on a hand-made bamboo bike in order to commemorate the World Environment Day.