EU Reaffirms Commitment to Protect Environment and Nature

The European Union (EU) on Thursday reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to protecting nature, promoting biodiversity, and safeguarding the environment.

The EU Embassy in Bangladesh issued the statement to mark World Environment Day, observed annually on June 5 since 1973.

Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Environment Day is the largest global platform for environmental awareness, celebrated by millions worldwide. In 2025, the event is hosted by the Republic of Korea.

“Time is running out, and nature is in emergency mode,” the EU said in its message.

To keep global warming below 1.5°C this century, global greenhouse gas emissions must be halved by 2030, the EU stressed.

Without urgent action, exposure to unsafe levels of air pollution is expected to increase by 50 per cent within the next decade, while plastic waste entering aquatic ecosystems could nearly triple by 2040, according to UN data.

Every year, an estimated 11 million tonnes of plastic waste leak into oceans and waterways worldwide. This pollution threatens more than 800 marine and coastal species through ingestion, entanglement, and other hazards.

Microplastics in the seas now outnumber the stars in our galaxy, underscoring the scale of the crisis.

The social and environmental costs of plastic pollution are estimated to range between US$300 billion and US$600 billion annually.

The EU’s reaffirmation highlights the urgent need for global cooperation to tackle these escalating environmental challenges.