5 June 2025
Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing delivered a speech at the ceremony to mark the World Environment Day 2025 at the Yezin University of Forestry and Environmental Science in Nay Pyi Taw this morning.
Also present at the ceremony were Council Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, council members, Union ministers, Union-level dignitaries, the Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, deputy ministers, departmental officials, guests, prize winners, students from the University of Forestry and Environmental Science and basic education high schools and officials.
Speaking on the occasion, the Senior General said that the General Assembly of the United Nations which held in 1972 set 5 June as the World Environment Day with the aim of resolving environmental problems of all global countries including Myanmar through collaborative efforts. Starting from 1973, all global countries have been holding ceremonies to mark the environmental conservation yearly.
This year’s motto of the commemorative day was set as Ending Plastic Pollution Globally. Such a motto urged all to strive for emergence of a global agreement to finally combat plastic pollution which has been wor-sening across the world day by day and for shaping a developed and clean environment in the future.
In today’s world, growing population and developing technologies and industries affect more emission of greenhouse gas which leads the climatic conditions to worsen. Moreover, natural resources and ecosystem deteriorate. Extreme extraction of natural resources causes degradation of ecosystems and gradual depletion of biodiversity. As urban areas and factories do not have systematic management of waste, everybody knows all global countries including Myanmar are facing environmental pollution problems at present. Among varieties of waste, plastic waste is larger day by day, and it becomes a main challenge of environmental pollution. It much threatens standing of living beings, health of all humans and sustainable development.
Currently, the human society uses plastic products as the primary utensils due to easily useful trends such as cheap prices, easy to make various forms and to package. In assessing the plastic production worldwide, the statistics in 2023 mentioned more than 400 million tons of plastic products, which rose a double volume rather than last two decades.
If the production still increases so, the world’s plastic production will reach 1,100 million tons in 2050. On the other hand, lack of control and undisciplined disposing of plastic waste becomes a seriously dangerous plastic pollution across the world at present.
The plastic wastes which enter the seas and oceans from the land become microplastics in a long term, causing marine environmental pollution. Nowadays, these microplastics sp-read all parts of oceans, rivers and creeks, atmospheric areas and daily foods. Hence, these parts penetrate into the body organs of human. In analyzing these, everybody can know very dangerous possibilities of plastic wastes.
Myanmar has issued the National Waste Management Strategy and Master Plan for Myanmar (2018-2030). Such plan is being implemented in urban areas and industries. In order to collaboratively implement the plastic waste control as a priority, efforts are being made to issue the National Plastic Management Action Plan.
To reduce plastic pollution in Myanmar, expand and streng-then domestic plastic recycling industries, and prevent marine environmental pollution caused by plastic waste, it is necessary to follow the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for industrial and urban waste management systems in coastal regions.
As Myanmar is a member of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, it is essential to systematically manage and prevent the illegal import of plastic waste in accordance with the convention’s commitments.
Myanmar is also collaborating with other ASEAN nations to implement the 2019 Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in the ASEAN Region and the ASEAN Framework on Marine Debris.
Under Article 45 of the 2008 Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the State is obligated to protect and conserve the natural environment. Additionally, Article 390 (b) states that every citizen has a duty to assist the State in environmental conservation efforts. Therefore, all citizens are urged to actively participate in eliminating plastic pollution and protecting the environment with a sense of responsibility.
To achieve a plastic pollution-free Myanmar and a sustainable future for the world, the theme for the 2025 World Environment Day, “Ending Plastic Pollution Globally – Collective Action for Change,” calls for international cooperation as well as nation-wide efforts from government agencies, businesses, civil society, students, and youth to build a cleaner and healthier environment.
Following this, video messages from the UN Secretary-General and the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) for the 2025 World Environment Day were shown.
Subsequently, the Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister presented awards to Kengtung in Shan State (East), recognized as a city with excellent environmental management, Myingaba Village in Nyaung-U Township, Mandalay Region, awarded for outstanding rural environmental management and Great Success Energy Co., Ltd. (a 30 MW solar power plant in Thazi Township, Mandalay Region), honoured for exemplary factory environmental management.
Next, awards were given to national-level clean and green schools (high school level) – 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize winners – by Council Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, clean and green schools (primary level) – 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize winners – by Council Member Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister General Mya Tun Oo and winners of the university/college-level essay competition on World Environment Day – 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize winners – by Council Member Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister Admiral Tin Aung San.
An awareness video on the 2025 World Environment Day and a video titled “The Invisible Killer – PM 2.5,” provided by the Royal Thai Embassy in Yangon, were then screened. Then, the Senior General, along with attendees, posed for a group photo.
Finally, they toured the commemorative exhibition for the 2025 World Environment Day with great interest.
