World Environment Day 2025: India leads with massive plastic-free campaigns

Business Standard

02-06-2025

As the world prepares to mark World Environment Day on 5 June 2025, the spotlight this year falls squarely on one of the planet's most pressing threats – plastic pollution. With plastic waste choking oceans, piling up in landfills, and entering food chains, this year's theme calls for urgent action to reduce, reuse, and recycle. The global campaign aims to unite governments, communities, and individuals in a shared mission to curb plastic use and safeguard the environment for future generations.
Ahead of Environment Day 2025, India has launched a nationwide initiative titled "One Nation, One Mission: End Plastic Pollution." Environmentalist and social activist Viral Desai, also known as the "Greenman," will start a 7-day tree-planting campaign on June 5 in honour of World Environment Day, and UP has mobilised 22,000 schools to fight "plastic pollution," among other campaigns that have been started before World Environment Day 2025.
What is the theme of World Environment Day 2025?
The World Environment Day 2025 theme is 'Beat Plastic Pollution', continued with the #BeatPlasticPollution campaign tagline. This theme draws attention to a worldwide issue that still endangers human health, marine life, and ecosystems.
The theme urges all parties involved, from citizens and businesses to legislators to cut back on plastic pollution. The theme for Environment Day 2025 encourages eco-friendly substitutes such as biodegradable packaging, reusable containers, and cloth bags. Everyone is urged by the campaign to make thoughtful decisions that will lessen the use of plastic.
In anticipation of World Environment Day 2025, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change began a nationwide mass mobilisation campaign on May 23 called "One Nation, One Mission: End Plastic Pollution."
In a pre-campaign video, Union Minister for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav urged everyone to embrace sustainable living to eradicate plastic pollution, moving beyond awareness to group action.
In an official release, 'This campaign highlights India's unwavering commitment to environmental protection and sustainability, aligned with India's flagship initiative – Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment)".
"Tik Tik Plastic" is a powerful environmental awareness campaign that has been introduced in Mumbai. A short film starring Bollywood star Ajay Devgn has been released as part of the promotion. Ahead of the World Environment Day 2025, set to take place on June 5, 2025, the BMC posted the short film on the social media site X (Twitter) on Sunday. Every citizen is urged to take action by the short film and its message, protect the environment, use less plastic, and ensure a healthier planet for future generations.
With an emphasis on this year's worldwide theme, "Ending Plastic Pollution," East Coast Railway (ECoR) has launched a comprehensive awareness and action campaign from May 22 to June 5 in honour of World Environment Day 2025.
This program highlights Indian Railways' dedication to pollution prevention and environmental sustainability by promoting a plastic-free environment in trains, station premises, and railway stations.
• Viral Desai's 'Tree Plantation' campaign
In honour of World Environment Day, environmentalist and social activist Viral Desai, also referred to as the "Greenman," will launch a 7-day tree-planting campaign on June 5. The initiative to plant 1,000 trees at Surat and Navsari in Gujarat demonstrates Desai's persistent dedication to urban greening and conservation.
The program will increase green space and increase public awareness of residents' ecological responsibility. The initiative is highly strategic, promoting ecological improvement, civic engagement, and climate resilience.
• UP organises its education system for a huge environmental awareness campaign
1. The state's Directorate of Environment has mandated all 75 districts to execute student-centred activities under the 2025 theme, "End Plastic Globally."
2. A 100-foot collaborative art piece created from recycled materials, 45-minute expert-led workshops, and 12 street plays performances by school groups are all part of the main event at Lucknow's Regional Science Centre, Aliganj. It is anticipated that 30 schools in Lucknow will send around 5,000 students to the main event.
3. Sushant Sharma, the director of environment, confirmed that 22,000 government schools, state-wise, will have local events simultaneously. Additionally, 147 recognised NGOs are organising community cleanup campaigns at significant bodies of water. During awareness walks facilitated by National Service Scheme volunteers, urban local bodies will distribute 50,000 cloth bags in marketplaces.
4. Using microscopes and interactive displays, environmental experts from Lucknow University will lead special workshops that explain the 100-year degradation cycle of plastic items. For student-led plantation campaigns, the state horticulture department has set aside 25,000 saplings, along with monitoring systems to check the survival rates of the saplings for 6 months after the event.
To commemorate World Environment Day 2025 and promote the 'Fit India Movement', the Department of Youth Services and Sports (YSS) J&K planned many exciting events in several UT districts. 132 people participated in Ramban's cyclothon, and Rajouri's Sundays on Cycle for all zones promoted eco-friendly transportation.