Green and pollution

Environment Day, the fight against plastic in first place

From the Korean initiatives organised by the UN to the Italian initiatives also organised by the motorbike federation. The appointments

by Daniela Russo

4 June 2025

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Isabel Rubira, 47, a Spanish and English teacher, walks along a street carrying an inflatable globe depicting the planet Earth, which she uses for her Spanish class to American students to explain the geographical location of Spain in the world, its geographical boundaries and reviewing some countries and capitals, in Ronda, Spain May 21, 2025. REUTERS/Jon Nazca

3' min read

Key points

In Venice two days of blue initiatives
Clean-up across Italy with Plastic Free Onlus
Environment: a priority for the Italian Motorcycle Federation
Environment starring in festivals and conferences

3' min read

South Korea will host the official celebration of World Environment Day 2025, established in 1972 by the United Nations General Assembly and promoted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The Republic of Korea will host, on Thursday 5 June, the initiatives promoted by the Glass Palace to combat global plastic pollution. As part of the event's celebration, the Global Partnership on Plastic Pollution and Marine Litter will unveil the Global Plastics Hub digital platform, a tool created to facilitate the sharing of data and knowledge on the effects of plastic pollution. The platform has 2,800 resources and 80 global indicators covering the entire lifecycle of plastics and aims to be a useful tool for countries ready to identify gaps, monitor trends and design effective strategies to tackle pollution.

In Venice, two days of blue initiatives

Numerous initiatives have been organised at national level. In Venice, the Venice Lagoon Plastic Free association is promoting the 12th edition of the International Day of Cleaning and Scientific Monitoring of Marine Waste. The aim is a waste collection action and a dedicated monitoring session, which will involve the historic centre of Venice and the Lido beach (WWF Alberoni Oasis). The initiative is realised with the support of the European projects Heurope Remedies (Co-creating strong uptake of remedies for the future of our oceans), SeaClear2.0 (Scalable Full-cycle Marine Litter Remediation in the Mediterranean) and the Interreg Ipa Adrion Joinable (JOINt approAch to Blue circuLar Economy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region), in cooperation with the Venice Boat Show, WWF Plastic Smart Cities, Veritas, Mestre Red Cross, Agesci Group of Mestre and other local entities. The waste collected will be surveyed and the data shared within a European database.

The initiative was preceded, on 1 June, by the fifth edition of the international workshop 'Marine Litter Monitoring, Removal and Blue Circular Economy', organised by Venice Lagoon Plastic Free and Isdi group as part of the Venice Boat Show and within the framework of Eu Green Week 2025 with the participation of both national and international research bodies and SMEs. The 2025 edition will deepen knowledge of the three European projects that will be the protagonists of the following clean-up day and will take stock of the European Union's Ocean Mission, aimed at protecting and restoring aquatic ecosystems, reducing plastic waste, promoting biodiversity and developing a decarbonised blue economy.

Clean-up throughout Italy with Plastic Free Onlus

Every year, Plastic Free Onlus, an association committed to fighting pollution linked to plastic abuse, is busy with about one hundred events all over Italy to celebrate World Environment Day and Oceans Day (8 June). In 2024, volunteers cleaned up beaches, green areas, squares and public places, removing 19.5 tons of plastic and rubbish in 90 waste collection days held over the weekend, involving about 2,100 volunteers. Clean ups, cigarette butt collections, eco-walks and other awareness-raising initiatives related to international events are scheduled throughout the week. To participate, simply register for free on the Events page of the website www.plasticfreeonlus.it.

Environment: a priority for the Italian Motorcycle Federation

The Italian Motorcycle Federation (Fmi) is organising a 'Fmi Sustainability Roadmap' training webinar for its staff on 5 June. Representatives of the Fmi Environment Commission, the federation's environmental delegates and representatives of national and international institutions will take part.

Environment starring in festivals and conferences

In Vitorchiaro, province of Viterbo, the Viva il Verde association is promoting a silent march around the area that used to be home to wildlife at the Il Pallone residential block, which is now the subject of building work for the construction of a new school. During the march, scheduled for 6 p.m., participants will throw seeds on the ground.

In the Piedmontese capital, the 28th CinemAmbiente Festival, organised by the National Cinema Museum, kicks off on World Environment Day. Six days of screenings and initiatives that will bring to Turin the best of national and international documentary production dedicated to the ecological challenges of our time.

In the European Capital of Culture 2025, Gorizia, the University of Trieste is organising a scientific conference on the impact of micro and nanoplastics on the environment, health and the food chain. The University of Cagliari is promoting, on 5 and 6 June, the "Sardinia Sustainability Summit - Declining Sustainability as an Engine for Innovation and Development", a two-day event dedicated to the relationship between business, innovation and sustainability organised under the patronage of the Network of Universities for Sustainable Development and Confindustria and with the contribution of the hubs Pnrr Fondazione Nest - Network 4 Energy Sustainable Transition and e.INS - Ecosystem of Innovation for Next Generation Sardinia Scarl. Two round tables will be opened by Enrico Giovannini, spokesperson of the Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development, who will offer a reflection on the sustainable future of our country.