NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Geneva World Environment Day Celebration

The 2025 edition of World Environment Day focuses on putting an end to plastic pollution. For decades, plastic pollution has seeped into every corner of the world, leaching into the water we drink, into the food we eat, and our bodies. While plastic pollution is a major concern, it is also one of the most fixable of today’s environmental challenges, with some obvious solutions at hand. This year’s World Environment Day observance comes as countries make progress towards securing a global treaty to end plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. In November 2024, the Republic of Korea hosted the fifth session of negotiations to develop a plastic pollution treaty, and is this year the official host of World Environment Day. The fifth session of the international negotiation committee will resume in Geneva from 5 to 14 August 2025.