A gala night on Saturday connected several dozens of people including youth, representatives from Government institutions, private sector, local and international non-governmental institutions and media to
raise awareness of the environment protection and climate change.
This activity was ahead to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of World Environment Day with the theme “Solutions to Plastic Pollution” on June 5.
Traditional Rwandan songs and choreography, crosstalk, poems focusing on climate change and disasters have featured the event, which won thundering applauses from several dozen local audiences.
Themed “Beat Plastic Pollution” at national level, Rwanda’s national event marking the 2023 World Environment Day will be held on Sunday in Kigali, with the largest exhibition on the Solutions to Plastic in the country.
The World Environment Day is celebrated annually on 5 June and encourages awareness and action for the protection of the environment. It is supported by many non-governmental organizations, businesses, government entities, and represents the primary United Nations outreach day supporting the environment.
At global level, the theme of this year’s celebration will focus on solutions to plastic pollution under the campaign #BeatPlasticPollution.
First held in 1973, World Environment Day is described as “a global platform for inspiring positive change” by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the organization that created it.
UNEP says that, despite a raft of climate agreements, progress towards halting climate change is still too slow and individuals and civil society must play a key role in raising awareness and urging governments and the private sector to make large-scale changes.
According to Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director, the cost of climate change is rising, as is the gap between what is being spent to adapt to climate change and what is needed.
Latest estimates by Climate experts indicate that for limiting the current rise in global temperature, which is driving climate change, to 1.5C, worldwide CO2 emissions will need to halve by 2030.
Rwanda estimated it could reduce its total emissions by 4.6 million tonnes of CO2 representing a proportion of 16% by 2030 compared with a business-as-usual baseline.
According to official projections, the country has committed to go up to 38% emissions cut in the next decade.
