“Every day should be world environment day” says UN environment champion
The UN Indian Environment Champion and organiser of the world’s largest plastic clean up, Afroz Shah, has called for every day to be world environment day.
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The call comes as The Head of UN Environment, Erik Solkheim, announced India will host World Environment Day on the 5th of June this year. The theme of 2018 is “Beat Plastic Pollution”, to raise awareness of single use plastics.
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Mr Shah, a Mumbai based lawyer and environmental activist, who was recognised at the UN for his work, told Footprint: “I firmly believe every single day should be viewed as world environment day. It’s not good enough to just have one day for the world. We co-exist with the oceans, we co-exist with animals. It is our job to co-exist in a way that is at peace with the natural world.”
Shah made headlines last year when he organised the largest beach clean-up in history at Verosa Beach, Mumbai. He also works in the slums around the city to educate people on environmental risks.
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Dr Harsh Vardhan, India Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said: “Indian philosophy and lifestyle has long been rooted in the concept of co-existence with nature. We are committed to making Planet Earth a cleaner and greener place.”
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The celebrations in June will include plastic clean up drives across India, in national reserves, forests and beaches.
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“India will be a great global host of 2018’s World Environment Day celebrations,” said Erik Solheim, “The country has demonstrated tremendous global leadership on climate change and the need to shift to a low carbon economy, and India will now help galvanize greater action on plastics pollution… It’s destroying our beaches and oceans. India will now be leading the push to save our oceans and planet.”
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Emma Cunningham, Senior Pollutions Campaign Officer at the UK Marine Conservation Society, says plastic is a global issue.
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"Plastic pollution is now found in every ocean in the world with the latest reports showing that even in the middle of the South Indian Ocean and polar regions plastic has been found… Plastic found on UK shores during the annual MCS Great British Beach Clean has risen nearly 30% in the last 10 years.”
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She added: “The more we use in our everyday lives, the more that ends up on our beaches. From single-use plastic bags to coffee cups, lids, stirrers, plastic straws and cutlery, we have found it all.”