UN Environment Programme and TERI Celebrate World Wetlands Day at Mumbai’s Sagar Vihar

World Wetlands Day celebrations by TERI and UNEP at Mumbai’s Sagar Vihar ,Vashi.

Mumbai’s Youth come together to save its precious marine  mangroves from plastic pollution

The drive was part of a UNEP’s global initiative ‘Promotion Of Countermeasures against marine plastic litter in Southeast Asia and India”.

Feb 2, 2020, Navi Mumbai: With a view to sensitize communities and especially youth on the growing challenges related to plastic pollution, a large number of volunteers and concerned citizens came together for a cleanup drive at Sagar Vihar, Vashi on the occasion of World Wetlands Day. The event was organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in collaboration with Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), National Service scheme (NSS) and several other partner organisations.

The event is part of TERI & UNEPs ongoing public campaign known as ‘Rethink Plastic’ which is motivating communities to reduce usage of single-use plastic. The campaign is particularly focusing on marine environments.

Inaugurating the event, Shri. Annasaheb Misal, IAS, Hon’ble Commissioner, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) said, “Navi Mumbai was ranked as the first cleanest city in Maharashtra and seventh cleanest city in India last year and our NMMC head office is single-use plastic-free because of the various initiatives that we adopted and cited that change in behavior and thinking is the key to solving the menace of plastic pollution.  While appreciating the work undertaken by TERI and UNEP for this initiative, he urged every citizen especially the youth to actively take action to make the city free from plastic pollution.”

To mark the start of the World Wetlands Day celebrations, the Hon’ble commissioner planted a sapling of native tree species in waste plastic bottle prepared as planters by TERI, with the help of student volunteers, to endorse the idea of ‘Rethink Plastic’ campaign and unveiling of the waste plastic collage made by TERI team.

Explaining the idea behind ‘Rethink Plastic’, Dr. Anjali Parasnis, Associate Director, TERI, said, “Raising saplings of native trees and nurturing them in waste plastic bottles emphasizes upon the reuse and recycling of plastic. It’s also a great way of offsetting our carbon footprint.’’

Dr. Parasnis also spoke about the vulnerability of mangroves to rising plastic pollution. She said, “mangroves are an important ecosystem that support biodiversity and livelihood and play a key role in flood control, carbon sequestration and also help stabilise coastal erosion. A number of volunteers at the event collected over 100 kgs of plastic waste trapped in mangroves and handed it over to NMMC for disposal.

Saloni Goel, Plastic Pollution Consultant in UNEP, shared how UNEP’s global leadership on marine litter is contributing to driving research and action on the menace of plastic waste. She explained how the Counter Measures project, being implemented in Mumbai, Agra, Allahabad and Hardwar, will help enhance our understanding on sources, content and pathways for marine plastic pollution. Also how it will help raise awareness and foster partnerships for long term sustained action. She also commended TERI’s work in leading the project in Mumbai.

The Guest of Honor,  Shri J.S. Saharia, Former Chief Secretary, Maharashtra while lauding the ‘Rethink Plastic campaign, urged the youth to take concrete actions against plastic pollution at individual and institutional levels. He further cited the example of Greta Thunberg to motivate the young crowd present at the event.

Smt. Divya Gaikwad, Corporator, Vashi, ‘encouraged everyone at the gathering to stop using single-use plastics and switch to eco-friendly alternatives and believes that such outreach events are crucial to raise awareness and motivate the community for environmental betterment.’

Mr. G.S. Gill (IAS), Distinguished Advisor, TERI Western Regional Center stressed on the importance of continual action towards sustainability. Submitting a proposal to NMMC for a long-term project against plastic pollution in Navi Mumbai, to ensure continuous and sustainable action to tackle plastic pollution in the city.

Mr. Lovish Ahuja, Vice President Governmental Affairs- India at TOMRA said, “The real solution is at the source of plastic waste generation and further emphasised that Life cycle thinking i.e. to think about overall impacts of the products we use and not just its usability and convenience in our lives.”

During the event, a number of volunteers from Karamveer Bhaurao Patil (KBP) College Vashi, India Culture league Education Society (ICLES) Motilal Jhunjhunvala College, Vashi, Ramrao Adik Institute of Technology (RAIT), Nerul, South Indian Education Society (SIES) Indian Institute of Environment Management, Nerul and National Service Scheme (NSS) participated in various activities organized around the theme’ Save Wetlands from Marine Plastic Litter’.

Key activities at WWD Event 2020 included:

• Cleanup in the mangroves:
• Felicitation of citizens carrying out exemplary work to protect environment
• Panel Discussion- to facilitate an interaction between the youth and experts to obtain insights on their views to counter plastic pollution
• Live Activities such as Pledge against single-use plastic, Perception survey on plastic use and management and Youth Vision: Plastic 2030 among others

All details included in the annexure attachment

About TERI

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is an independent, multi-dimensional organisation, with capabilities in research, policy, consultancy and implementation. It has pioneered conversations and action in the energy, environment, climate change, and sustainability space for over four decades.

The institute’s research and research-based solutions have had a transformative impact on industry and communities. Headquartered in New Delhi, it has regional centres and campuses in Gurugram, Bengaluru, Guwahati, Mumbai, Panaji, and Nainital, supported by a multidisciplinary team of scientists, sociologists, economists and engineers, and state-of-the-art infrastructure.

About UNEP 

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

Our mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

For further information, contact

TERI – Dhawal Trivedi – Dhawal.trivedi@teri.res.in

UNEP- Shaila Sam-shaila.sam@un.org

Edelman - Rakhi Aurora - rakhi.aurora@edelman.com