Syllabus: GS3/Environment
Context
- World Environment Day is celebrated every year on June 5, is a global initiative to raise awareness and drive action for environmental protection.
| About the World Environment Day – Background: 1. 1972: First UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden, with the theme of ‘Only One Earth’. (a). It resulted in the adoption of the Stockholm Declaration and the Action Plan for the Human Environment. (b). The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) designated 5th June of every year as World Environment Day in 1973 to encourage global participation in addressing environmental challenges. – World Environment Day 2025: 1. Host Country: Republic of KoreaTheme: #BeatPlasticPollution, emphasizing the urgent need to tackle plastic waste and its devastating impact on ecosystems. |
Plastic Pollution
- Key Facts: Every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas.
- Every day, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes.
- It costs the world $300-600 billion every year.
- 7,000 million tonnes of plastic waste generated since 1950.
- Microplastics are now found in soil, water & food.
- Scale of Plastic Pollution in India: India generates approx 3.5 million metric tonnes of plastic waste annually.
- These plastics end up in the environment, contaminating soil and water sources.
- Without urgent action, plastic pollution is expected to triple by 2060.
Plastic Pollution and Its Impact on SDGs
- SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): Plastic waste contaminates freshwater sources, harming biodiversity and human health.
- SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): Encourages reducing plastic use, promoting recycling, and adopting sustainable alternatives.
- SDG 13 (Climate Action): Plastic production and waste contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating climate change.
- SDG 14 (Life Below Water): Marine ecosystems suffer from plastic debris, with 85% of marine litter consisting of plastics.
- SDG 15 (Life on Land): Plastic pollution affects soil health and terrestrial wildlife.
| Other Environmental Problems – Rising Carbon Emissions: Between 2015 and 2024, global CO₂ emissions increased by nearly 10%, with India’s emissions surging from 2.33 billion to 3.12 billion metric tonnes. – Biodiversity Loss and Deforestation: India’s mega-diverse ecosystems are under threat due to deforestation, wetland degradation, and monoculture agriculture. – Severe Pollution Levels: India consistently ranks among the world’s most polluted countries, with Delhi topping global air pollution lists. 1. It generates 62 million tonnes of waste annually, but only 20% is scientifically processed. |
Global Commitments and India’s Role
- Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (2019): India actively supports global efforts to regulate hazardous waste and chemical use.
- It opposed e-waste dumping in developing countries and advocated for stricter global rules.
- G20 Osaka Blue Ocean Vision (2019): India and other member countries agreed to take strong action against plastic pollution.
- They committed to reducing marine plastic litter and microplastics and set a goal to stop adding any new plastic waste to the oceans by 2050.
- High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (2021): It aims to protect at least 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030.
- India joined it during the ‘One Planet Summit’ held in Paris.
Policy Measures in India
- Plastic Waste Management Rules 2021 (under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986), which ban single-use plastic items and regulate plastic carry bags.
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Portal, ensuring that manufacturers take responsibility for plastic waste disposal.
- EPR means companies that make or sell plastic products must take care of the plastic waste they create.
- Plastic Parks and CSIR Technology, which convert plastic waste into fuel and recyclable products.
- Plastic Parks are specially developed industrial zones where many plastic-related businesses work together in one place.
- Swachh Bharat Mission, promoting rural and urban plastic waste management.
Solutions for a Plastic-Free Future
- Refuse single-use plastics like straws and cutlery.
- Reduce plastic packaging by opting for reusable alternatives.
- Recycle responsibly and support businesses that prioritize sustainability.
- Rethink consumption habits by choosing eco-friendly products.
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