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Thursday, 28.03.2024, 22:55
Estonia's environment minister calls on colleagues to support world cleanup day
"The 150 participating countries we have set as a goal
have already joined, but during the month we will be able to increase the
number of both countries and participants," Kiisler said. In addition to
making the call to support the initiative, Kiisler urged fellow ministers to
explore ways of improving waste management systems around the world.
"The waste problem is common for all of us because
waste is as burning a problem for developed countries as it is for developing
countries. Even though several associations are monitoring waste in various
regions of the world, we still have not enough information to address this
problem effectively. We do not know exactly how much waste there is and
where," Kiisler said, adding that in the course of the World Cleanup Day
this information will be gathered as well.
"Let's Do It!", the important global initiative
that started ten years ago in Estonia, has evolved into a global movement, the
minister said.
"Ten years later, on September 15, 2018, the movement
is preparing for the biggest peaceful civil action in history: the World
Cleanup Day, engaging 150 countries and mlns of volunteers around the globe.
The World Cleanup Day plays a vital role in assisting governments all around
the world and stakeholders to improve waste management and to promote sustainable
behavior," Kiisler said.
The Estonian minister said that limited social
responsibility with regard to waste pollution and its effect on the environment
continues to be a problem gobally and locally. This could be improved by
increasing awareness about the waste problem and by promoting socially
responsible behavior. Let's Do It World is empowering individuals and
organizations globally to help achieve as many as nine of the 17 UN Sustainable
Development Goals, he added.
According to the International Solid Waste Association
(ISWA), approximately four bln tons of solid waste is created in the world
every year, of which household waste makes up some 1.6 bln tons. Considering
that an estimated 3.5 bln people across the world are lacking access to a waste
management system, most of the waste created by them ends up in the
environment, including oceans. Of the waste floating in the oceans 80%
originates deep in the inland.