On the World Environmental Day
Dear reader, in this edition of the Sustainability Thinking Series (SLS), we focus on the celebration of the World Environmental Day which took place on the 5th of June as usual. This year’s official celebration was held in the Republic of Korea’s Jeju Province. The Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA) joins the civil society, businesses, and governments around the world to mark this day under the theme #BeatPlasticPollution.
Plastic pollution is a global menace, and it has been estimated to grow by 50 per cent in 2040(1). The first synthetic plastic – Bakelite – was produced in 1907, marking the beginning of the global plastics industry. However, rapid growth in global plastic production didn’t happen until the 1950s. Over the next 70 years, however, annual production of plastics has increased nearly 230-fold to 460 million tonnes in 2019(1). In Malta, the majority of plastic waste streams result in being disposed of in a landfill or incinerated, and littered, hence ending up in the oceans due to an incorrect disposal method and lack of collection(2).
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Plastic waste pollution creeps into our bodies through the food we eat, the water we drink, and even the air that we breathe. World Environment Day 2025 calls for collective action to tackle plastic pollution. It comes exactly two months before countries resume negotiations towards a global treaty to end plastic pollution. In March 2022, at the resumed fifth session of the UN Environmental Assembly (UNEA-5.2), a historic resolution was adopted to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment(3).
More than 2,500 events marked World Environment Day in virtually every corner of the world, and millions of people engaged with the day’s hashtags – #WorldEnvironmentDay and #BeatPlasticPollution – which were trending worldwide. Notable international figures also lent their voice to the cause, including Dr Mariam Dalli who is Malta’s minister for the Environment, Energy, and Public Cleanliness (MEEP).
To mark World Environment Day, the Ministry for the Environment, Energy, and Public Cleanliness hosted a special event for Year 3 students from Qormi Primary School at Wied Inċita, Ħ’Attard. The event aimed to provide students with a meaningful opportunity to connect with nature while learning in an engaging way about this year’s theme – plastic pollution. The event featured a range of activities and games organised by entities and directorates within the Ministry, including Project Green. The minister encouraged the public to make full use of our open spaces, parks and gardens currently being restored by Project Green and enjoy them together with their loved ones. Furthermore, she strongly advocated for learning sessions outside and the initiatives that allow children to discover and appreciate the natural beauty of our parks and gardens across our islands.
Happy World Environmental Day!