Ambassador and Permanent Representative Teodoro L. Locsin delivers brief intervention at the commemoration of World Environment Day at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

New York, 05 June 2018 – “Each of us in this room, and each of the countries we represent can contribute significantly toward this endeavor; going plastic-free starts with the individual. It cannot be stressed enough that individual efforts though small create significant ripple effects... But the world is a ball and what goes around comes around—nothing more relentlessly than non-biodegradable plastic garbage.”  This was the message of Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations when he addressed participants to the event commemorating World Environment Day on 05 June 2018 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. 

 

The theme for World Environment Day this year is “Beat Plastic Pollution,” focusing attention on the pressing environmental concern of plastic pollution.  The call urges governments, industry, communities and individuals to come together and explore sustainable alternatives and urgently reduce the production and excessive use of single-use plastic polluting the world’s oceans, damaging marine life and human health.

 

Ambassador Locsin, who said that the Philippines proclaimed the month of June as World Environment Month as early as 20 years ago, underscored the crucial role of communities, governments and corporations in combating plastic pollution.

 

World Environment Day is an annual celebration which started in 1974 which helps the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) raise awareness and generate political momentum around growing and urgent environmental concerns.  This year’s commemorative event was jointly organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations and UNEP.

 

(Photos by Philippine Mission to the UN)