World Environment Day: Commemorative ceremony held in Nay Pyi Taw

A ceremony to commemorate 2025 World Environment Day was held at Yezin University of Forestry and Environmental Science in Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday morning.

Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing attended the ceremony and made a speech. The Prime Minister stressed that the UN General Assembly designated 5th June as World Environment Day in 1972 and the commemorative events have been held annually across the world since 1973.

The theme of 2025 World Environment Day is “Ending Plastic Pollution Globally”, aiming to eliminate plastic pollution which is growing rentlessly across the world by adopting the effective resolution and for the emergence of clean and green environment in near future. Nowadays, climate changes and environmnetal degradation become severed due to green house gases, consequences of the growing population and developing industries.

Likewise, extreme natural resource extraction is harming the ecosystem and biodiversity. The environmental pollution caused by unsystematic waste disposal is also the major issue which need to be tackled in timely manner. In Myanmar, the National Waste Management Strategy and Master Plan (2018-2030) is published aiming at institutionalizing waste and have been implementing in urbanization and industrialization processes.

Likewise, arrangements are underway to issue National Plastic Management Project Plan to tackle rising plastic pollution within the nation. The Prime Minister urged all to accelerate recycling business and to conduct waste management activities in coastal areas adhering to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). As a member country of Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, systematic management and supervision must be carried out to prevent illegal plastic waste importation.

Moreover, Myanmar is implementing the Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in ASEAN Region and ASEAN Framework in collaboration with the ASEAN member states. The Prime Minister called for the active participation of all the citizens and relevant individuals in tackling plastic pollution and building cleaner and better environment.

Next, video messages sent by UN Secretary General and Executive Director of UNEP were screened. Then, the Prime Minister presented honorary awards and certificates to environmental management award winners. Subsequently, honorary awards were presented to the National Level Green and Clean School awards and winners of article competitions marking World Environment Day respectively.

Next, 2025 World Environment Day commmemorative video clip and an educational video on PM 2.5 “The Invisible Killer” were screened. After a documentary photo session, the Prime Minister and attendees made a tour to commemorative exhibitions.