Message from Mr Mahmood Akhtar Cheema, Country Representative, IUCN Pakistan on the World Environment Day

Plastic pollution has reached alarming levels. An estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic waste enter our oceans every year, choking marine life, contaminating food chains, and threatening livelihoods. In Pakistan, where single-use plastics have become deeply embedded in daily life, our rivers, cities, farmlands, and coastlines are increasingly burdened by non-biodegradable waste. Without decisive action, the impacts of plastic pollution will only intensify. By 2040, plastic pollution in the environment is expected to increase by 50 percent, infiltrating our bodies through the food we consume, the water we drink, and even the air we breathe.

At IUCN Pakistan, we are committed to supporting science-based, inclusive, and innovative approaches to beat plastic pollution. Our global initiative, the Plastic Waste-Free Islands (PWFI) project, worked to reduce plastic leakage in island nations by strengthening waste management systems, enabling circular economies, and promoting behaviour change. The lessons learned from such initiatives are critical as we scale solutions in countries like Pakistan. Moreover, through the Marine Plastics and Coastal Communities (MARPLASTICCs) project, IUCN worked closely with governments, industries and society in Asia and Africa to reduce and control plastic pollution.

Locally, IUCN Pakistan continues to work closely with the Government of Pakistan, civil society organisations, the private sector, and local communities to address the plastic crisis. Importantly, we recognise that tackling plastic pollution is not just about eliminating plastic it’s about transforming our relationship with consumption and waste. This calls for rethinking product design, innovating alternatives, scaling up recycling infrastructure, and empowering communities to be agents of change. In this regard, IUCN’s ongoing engagement with private sector, youth networks, academic institutions (primary, secondary and tertiary), and grassroots movements continues to promote environmental awareness and stewardship. We have established hundreds of nature clubs in educational institutes all over Pakistan.

An integral theme in all our projects is curbing the use of plastic and we make all efforts to ensure that our work is as plastic-free as possible. This is a collective endeavour of both IUCN and its member organisations. Together we strive to create awareness of this environmental malaise. 

World Environment Day 2025 is also a milestone moment as we edge closer to the adoption of the legally binding Global Plastics Treaty under negotiation by the international community. IUCN supports this landmark process and continues to provide technical expertise to governments and stakeholders working toward a robust and equitable agreement that addresses the full lifecycle of plastics.

IUCN is actively engaging on international platforms. From 3 to 13 June 2025, an IUCN delegation is participating in the third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) and its related events. Additionally, IUCN World Conservation Congress is scheduled to take place from 9 to 15 October 2025 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

For beating plastic pollution, waste management is an essential aspect. As we continue to produce more waste, it is imperative for businesses and individuals to adopt measures to rethink, refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle.

Let us seize this opportunity to reflect, recommit, and reimagine a cleaner, greener future. Pakistan has already taken important steps such as single-use plastic bans in several cities (Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Hunza), clean-up drives, and national dialogue on circular economy models but much more remains to be done.

We must act collectively and urgently, because the health of our planet and future generations depends on it. IUCN Pakistan remains steadfast in its mission to advance science, strengthen policy, and support action that protects our natural heritage from plastic pollution and all forms of environmental degradation.

Together, we can beat plastic pollution—for nature, for people, and for a sustainable tomorrow.

Mahmood Akhtar Cheema
Country Representative, IUCN Pakistan