[2025] Side Events at the World Environment Day 2025
Description
World Environment Day is a global event held every year on 5 June, jointly organized by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the host country. In 2025, World Environment Day will be jointly hosted by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea and UNEP at and around the Jeju International Convention Center (ICC Jeju) on 4-5 June. This marks the return of the event to Korea nearly a generation after it was last hosted in Seoul in 1997. The 2025 theme, “Beat Plastic Pollution”, calls for united global action to tackle this pressing issue. The slogan, “Shared Challenge, Collective Action”, reflects this call to action. Over 1,000 participants are expected, including participants from UNEP, international organizations, global environmental partners, development banks, businesses, and civic groups. This will be a meaningful occasion to reaffirm collective commitments to end plastic pollution. During the World Environment Day 2025, UNOSD will be organizing two side events on "Bridging Gaps, Empowering Change: Strengthening National Capacity, Evidence-based Policy and Finance to Implement a Global Plastics Treaty" and "Sustainable Future Forum: Advancing Zero Plastic Policies" on 4 and 5 June 2025 respectively.
Side Event #1 - Bridging Gaps, Empowering Change: Strengthening National Capacity, Evidence-based Policy and Finance to Implement a Global Plastics Treaty
Time and Venue
The side event will take place on 4 June from 11:00am to 12:00pm at Tamna Hall B, Jeju International Convention Centre
Documents
Concept Note and Agenda (updated as of 3 June 2025)
Background and Objectives
Plastic pollution has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental challenges of the 21st century, with far-reaching impacts on ecosystems, economies, and human health. Since the 1950s, plastic production has surged, creating a waste stream polluting land, seas, and air, with millions of tons entering the world’s Oceans annually.
The environmental and social costs of plastic waste are not equally distributed. Developing countries, particularly those with limited waste management infrastructure, often bear the brunt of plastic pollution. Low-income countries face particular challenges, with approximately 90% of waste discarded in unregulated dumps or burned openly, and limited access to finance to tackle this challenge. . Inadequate data underestimates this waste crisis and limits the reach and impact of policy for many low-income countries and the ability to address negative environmental externalities.
Despite growing awareness, projections show plastic production could triple by 2050 without coordinated global action. The ongoing negotiations under the Global Plastics Treaty process—including the conclusion of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5)—present a historic opportunity to build an ambitious, comprehensive framework to tackle plastic pollution. However, success will depend heavily on strengthening national capacity, improving data and monitoring systems, mobilizing finance, and creating enabling policy frameworks to ensure effective means of implementation.
This event will launch a new publication with insights briefs from global experts and practitioners highlighting key data, gaps, and recommendations covering capacity-building needs, financial readiness, and policy frameworks—essential for treaty implementation. By addressing the hidden costs of plastic pollution, these briefs emphasize the importance of targeted development cooperation to empower countries to meet their treaty commitments and transition to sustainable practices.
Through collaborative dialogue, expert presentations, and a panel discussion, this side event aims to strengthen awareness and collaborative action for data, financing, and policies critical for eliminating plastic pollution and advancing a circular economy in partner countries.
Organizers
This side event is co-organized by UNOSD and Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)
Programme and Agenda
Opening Remarks
- Mr. Chun Kyoo Park, Head, United Nations Office for Sustainable Development, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
- Mr. Sang Hyup Kim, Director General, Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)
Launch of Publication: Bridging Gaps, Empowering Change – Tackling Plastic Pollution
Presentations
Moderator: Ms. Sara Castro de Hallgren, Sustainable Development Officer, UNOSD, DSDG, UNDESA
- Evidence-based policy solutions for action on plastic waste - Sara Castro-Hallgren, Sustainable Development Officer, UNOSD
- Harnessing Satellite and Digital Technologies for Transparency and Accountability in Plastic Pollution Management - K. Dana Chadwick/ Raissa Estrella, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
- Financing solutions for achieving a circular plastics economy and addressing plastic pollution - Christian Kaufholz, Head of Community Engagement and Impact, Global Plastic Action Partnership, World Economic Forum
- National capacity gaps for a circular plastics economy - Dukwoo Jun, Circular Economy COP Lead, GGGI
- Shaping the Future of Plastics through Sustainable Design - Ji Hye Jo, Chief Research Fellow, Korea Environment Institute (KEI)
Panel Discussion: Country cases and readiness for implementation of a Global Plastics Treaty
- Shardul Agrawala, Head of the Environment and Economy Integration Division at the OECD Environment Directorate
- Seung Chull Ok, Director, Department of Resource Circulation, Korea Environment Corporation
- Arnaud Debauge, Policy Strategist, Green Recovery and Transition, UNDP
Side Event #2 - Sustainable Future Forum: Advancing Zero Plastic Policies
Documents
Concept Note and Agenda (updated as of 3 June 2025)
Time and Venue
The side event will take place on 5 June from 03:00pm to 05:30pm at Tamna Hall C, Jeju International Convention Centre
Background
Plastic pollution has emerged as one of the most pressing global challenges, threatening ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health. In light of this crisis, countries worldwide are striving to transition to a circular economy where resources are utilized efficiently, and waste generation is minimized. Innovative and data-driven policy solutions are essential in addressing the impact of plastic pollution on our Earth system.
This side event, jointly organized by Korea Environment Corporation (K-eco), UNDP Seoul Policy Centre (UPSC) and the United Nations Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD) under the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) will showcase the Republic of Korea’s best practices in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and evidence-based policy innovations for plastic waste management.
Moreover, the event will serve as the official launch of USPC’s pilot projects in partnership with K-eco, focused on implementing EPR by drawing insights from the Republic of Korea’s expertise. By tailoring Korean EPR to specific local contexts, fostering knowledge exchange, and testing scalable models in key sectors, the projects aim to strengthen institutional capacity and drive the sustainable, long-term adoption of circular economy policies.
In addition, the event will launch UNOSD’s new Waste Management and Circular Economy Policy Support System1 developed with support from K-eco as a comprehensive self-diagnostic tool for policy makers. The platform allows UN Member States to strengthen official data on waste and self-assess challenges and progress on waste and circular economy, addressing gaps on nationally owned data and governance for waste management and circular economy (linked to SDGs 11,12, and 14.1). UNOSD aims to strengthen country usage of the platform to ensure country to country benchmarking and a comprehensive data-driven policy system to tackle waste.
The event will be a collaborative platform, bringing together diverse stakeholders, including governments, private sector, international organizations, academia, civil society and youth. It will foster actional solutions combating plastic pollution effectively on a global scale, paving the way for inclusive and impactful outcomes.
Objectives
- Highlight the Republic of Korea’s EPR, as models for effective plastic waste management.
- Launch USPC pilot projects showcasing the UN System’s collaboration with K-eco aimed at supporting plastic waste reduction in developing countries.
- Present UNOSD’s Waste Management and Circular Economy Policy Support System as a valuable resource for global evidence-based and data-driven policy.
- Foster discussions on innovative policies for the transition to a plastic-free and sustainable future.
Organizers
This side event is co-organized by UNOSD, UNDP Seoul Policy Centre (USPC), and Korea Environment Corporation.
Target Audience
Approximate 70-100 attendees including government officials, international organizations, private sector, civil society, academia and youth.
Programme and Agenda
Opening and Welcoming Remarks
- Mr. Seung Chull Ok, Director of Resource Recirculation Department, Korea Environment Corporation
- Mr. Chun Kyoo Park, Head, United Nations Office for Sustainable Development, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
- Ms. Anne Juepner, Director, UNDP Seoul Policy Centre
Session 1: Republic of Korea’s Best Practices in Ending Plastic Pollution
- Presentation on the Republic of Korea’s EPR: Young ju Baek, Deputy manager of Municipal Waste information Division, K-eco
Session 2: Launch of USPC Pilot Projects on Plastic Waste Reduction
- Overview of USPC’s pilot projects in partner countries
- How the pilot projects will support national strategies
Session 3: Waste Management and Circular Economy Policy Support System
- Overview of Waste Management and Circular Economy Policy Support System: Sara Castro de Hallgren, Sustainable Development Officer, UNOSD
Panel Discussion: Scaling Up Data-driven Solutions and Innovative models for a Plastic-Free Future
- Young ju Baek, Deputy manager of Municipal Waste information Division, K-eco
- Sung-hoon Kang, Director of Production, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Development Corp.
- Annalis Wiramidjaja, Sustainable Development Specialist, GGGI
- Subin Byun, Representative, Diphda Jeju
Closing Remarks: Summary of key takeaways and next steps
Code of Conduct
The organizations of the United Nations system are committed to enabling events at which everyone can participate in an inclusive, respectful and safe environment.
UN system events are guided by the highest ethical and professional standards, and all participants are expected to behave with integrity and respect towards all participants attending or involved with any UN system event: https://www.un.org/en/content/codeofconduct/