Plastic in river. Large amounts of plastic in the Liesbeek River flows towards the ocean after heavy rain in the Western Cape. Picture: Henk Kruger/African News Agency(ANA) Archives
Every year on June 5, the world comes together to celebrate World Environment Day and renew its commitment to protecting the planet for the sake of future generations.
More than 150 nations are represented at this annual celebration of environmental action, and the potential of governments, corporations and people to make the world a better, more sustainable place.
Since its beginning in 1973, the UN Environment Programme (Unep) has been charged with hosting the event.
For the 50th anniversary of the event, Côte d'Ivoire will play host in conjunction with the Netherlands with the theme #BeatPlasticPollution.
The purpose of the day is to bring attention to the issue of plastic pollution and encourage people to take action. The result of this effort is the measures governments and corporations are taking to combat plastic pollution. It is now time to move quickly towards a circular economy.
In the fight against plastic waste, Côte d'Ivoire is taking the lead. It has banned the use of single-use plastic bags since 2014, encouraging a transition to more sustainable packaging. Abidjan, the country's biggest city, has also emerged as a centre for eco-friendly businesses.
The government of the Netherlands is taking bold steps to reduce plastic use throughout its entire life cycle. It has joined the Global Partnership to End Plastic Waste and Marine Litter and has signed the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment to reduce plastic waste.
Numerous groups in South Africa are spreading the word about the need to preserve the country's pristine natural landscapes.
Many of these groups are supported by MyPlanet via swipes made at partner stores, with a tiny portion of each sale being donated by the retailer to the supporter's chosen beneficiaries at no additional cost to the supporter.
The original idea of Coastal Ghost was to use a road journey to showcase the natural and cultural wonders of South Africa to the rest of the world. The organisation's three-month project that went viral and gained international attention saw them visit 90 beaches over the course of 57 travel days and remove tons of trash that would have otherwise been washed out to sea.
Dr Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots is a worldwide movement of engaged adolescents who are encouraged to use their voice and take the initiative in making ethical choices that will have a beneficial impact on the world.
Roots & Shoots' mission is to unite the world's youth to improve the lives of people, animals, and the Earth as a whole. In an effort to make the world a better place for all living things, more than 12,000 organisations in over 62 countries have come together since 1991.
The Morges Manifesto was endorsed by 16 of the world's foremost environmentalists in 1961 and issued as a global appeal for assistance.
This manifesto argued that although the knowledge and skills to save the planet's natural resources do exist, there isn't the funding to put such plans into action.
Taylen Reddy, director of Zero Waste Durban and ambassador of Break Free From Plastic, said that “in an ideal world, I would love to see a ban on single-use plastics. We’ve seen examples of this being successful right here in Africa with countries like Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya and Rwanda implementing strict bans on single-use plastics, and Eritrea leading the way with a ban on plastic bags all the way back in 2005.”
Zero Waste Durban is a core member of international movements such as Break Free From Plastic (BFFP) and the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (Gaia), providing and gaining knowledge and skills support for campaigns from these networks.
Based on this, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) was founded to aid pre-existing conservation organisations and provide financial backing for the global conservation movement.
When WWF president and Dutch prince Bernhard met Dr Anton Rupert in 1968 to discuss protecting South Africa's wildlife, he immediately got to work. Local business enthusiasts rallied behind Dr Rupert.
Once known as the Southern African Wildlife Foundation, WWF South Africa changed its name to reflect its focus on protecting biodiversity in the region in 1995. WWF's mission from the start has been to save South Africa's flora and fauna. Everything from plants to animals to humans falls under this category.
These are just a handful of the many organisations in South Africa doing their part to protect the natural world. Across the country, hundreds of other organisations, both large and small, are also speaking up for the environment.
What have you done for the environment lately?
Current Affairs