KATHMANDU: Today, June 5, marks the celebration of World Environment Day, observed globally with the theme “Reducing Plastic Pollution: Our Responsibility.”
Various events and programs are being organized across Nepal and around the world to mark the occasion.
World Environment Day has been celebrated annually since 1973 at the initiative of the United Nations. This year, South Korea is hosting the official international event.
According to the UN, around 400 million tons of plastic waste are generated globally each year, but only about 10 percent is recycled.
An estimated 11 million tons of plastic ends up in rivers, lakes, and oceans annually, posing a significant threat to ecosystems and human health.
Today is also observed as the International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, a campaign launched by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2017.
The FAO stresses that ending illegal fishing is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It estimates that between 11 to 26 million tons of fish are lost each year due to illegal practices, resulting in billions of dollars in economic losses.
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