Resident Coordinator's Remarks for World Environment Day 2023 Joint Inter-Agency Event

Let me thank all the speakers and participants for making the World Environment Day a success.

Your contribution demonstrates how we leverage a whole-of-society approach to beat plastic pollution.

This event also shows us how each one of us contributes to plastic waste and how we all have to be part of the solution by being responsible consumers.

Thailand’s per-capita consumption of plastics is amongst the highest in Asia, amounting to 15.5 kg per person annually.

The country is also one of Asia’s biggest producers of plastic resins and products with only a fifth being recycled. Responsible production will result in securing an additional $4 billion annually in economic value for the country.

Both industry and individuals need to work together to beat our plastic footprint and scale up recycling.

Last week, I met representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency who noted that they are in the final stages of industrial tests for using nuclear technology to turn plastic waste into construction materials.

Scientific solutions like this can be a game changer for making the bio-circular-green agenda a reality.

However, all contributions, big or small, matter.

The leadership of UNEP will be key as member states develop a legally binding international agreement on marine plastic pollution.

This will go a long way towards recognizing the human right for a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. 

Thank you.