World Environment Day 2023: Date, History, Theme and Significance – All you need to know

World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5 every year and as the name suggests, the day promotes awareness and action to protect the environment. Today, the world is facing many environmental concerns, many of which are serious, and need to be addressed urgently. Each year, a different theme is chosen for World Environment Day to draw attention to a different aspect of environmental concern. This year, the focus is on beating plastic pollution.

World Environment Day 2023: History and Significance

World Environment Day was established by the United Nations at the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment in 1972, following discussions on the integration of human interactions and the environment. At the conference, it was discussed how international measures can be introduced to address pressing environmental issues. This day was celebrated for the first time in 1974.

Some of the major environmental challenges facing the world today include climate change, deforestation, pollution (including plastic pollution), biodiversity loss, and sustainable development. The importance of World Environment Day lies in the fact that it provides an opportunity for people from all walks of life – be it governments, businesses, non-governmental organizations, or the general public – to take concrete steps to protect the environment. People are encouraged to live more sustainably by reducing waste, conserving energy, implementing eco-friendly practices, and supporting environmental causes. It is also a global forum where policy debates take place, knowledge is shared, and initiatives for environmental issues are discussed and processes for their implementation are charted.

World Environment Day 2023: Theme

The 15th World Environment Day will once again focus on the plastic pollution crisis. From clothing and packaging to beauty products and kitchen essentials, plastic permeates our daily lives, thanks to its affordability, durability and flexibility. As the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) points out, plastic pollution chokes marine wildlife, damages soil and poisons groundwater, and can cause serious health effects. According to UNEP, humans produce more than 430 million tons of plastic per year. Two-thirds of these are short-lived products that quickly become useless, fill the ocean and, often, work their way into the human food chain. On their website, Llorenç Milà i Canals, head of the United Nations Environment Program’s (UNEP’s) Life Cycle Initiative, is quoted as saying: “Many people are not aware of the fact that our daily lives include The material may not have a significant impact. Not only on wildlife, but also on the climate and human health.”