World Environment Day 2023 (WED) is the biggest international day for the environment. Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and held annually, it has grown to be the largest global platform for environmental outreach. It is celebrated by millions of people across the world. The theme for this year’s WED is ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’, as a reminder that people’s actions on plastic pollution matters. WED will also focus on the transitions to a circular economy and the steps governments and businesses are taking to tackle plastic pollution. It is time to #BeatPlasticPollution.
As GO4SDGs, supported by UNEP, we have organized activities across regions to celebrate World Environment Day:
a) In Asia-Pacific:
• 5th June: World Environment Day Event together with Massive Earth Foundation to launch LowCarbon.Earth Accelerator to support green SMEs in the region.
• 8th June: Workshop on the roles of universities in beating plastic pollution and how to nudge to reduce single-use plastic usage, organized by Chula Zero Waste and supported by UN Environment Programme
• 27 June: Solutions to plastic pollution under campaign #BeatPlasticPollution with Chulalongkorn University Zero Waste project. The date has been changed to 27 June, but programme remains the same. So please feel free to use the attached agenda.
b) In Africa:
• GO4SDGs co-hosted a pre-World Environment Day Youth and Women Dialogue held on 16th May 2023. The overall goal of the dialogue was to identify green, circular, and sustainable business models and solutions that youth and women use to beat plastic pollution, reduce waste in the environment, reduce impacts of plastic to climate, pollution, and resource use while increasing the demand for green skills and jobs in various businesses and industries in Kenya.
C) In West Asia:
• GO4SDGs are having a social media activation as part of the Recipe of Change campaign.
• Media activation at Beirut International Airport and at Kuwait International Airport
• Education activities with several schools in Lebanon and Oman to raise awareness on solutions to plastic pollution.
• Activity with the Regional Network of UN Global Compact in KSA through their network
• Awareness day at the UN House in Beirut
• Digital Material adapted and shared with the Supreme Council for Environment in Bahrain
D) In Central Asia:
• GO4SDgs team had a media trip to Jyrgalan Valley few weeks ago on the occasion of WED.
Here is the link to the press-release: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/kyrgyz-village-benefits-new-waste-facility-amidst-tourism-growth.