The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) have held a series of public activities to mark World Environment Day 2023, from June 5-7 at Doha Festival City Mall.
Held in cooperation with the ministries of municipality, transport, public health, and a number of local companies operating in the field of recycling and environmentally friendly manufacturing, the activities include artistic performances and an opening march to express the responsibility of individuals in protecting the earth, as well as a play on the damage of plastic to the environment. There are children's stories that focus on the environment, in addition to many competitions that develop a sense of responsibility towards the environment and avoid the use of plastic materials.
The activities also include awareness lectures presented by the Ministry of Public Health, and workshops and awareness activities on the most important methods of preserving the environment, tools made of biodegradable organic materials, as well as workshops on recycling operations.
In this context, Assistant Undersecretary for Protection and Natural Reserves Affairs at the MOECC Dr. Ibrahim Abdullatif Al Maslamani affirmed that the Ministry's celebration of World Environment Day, which comes this year under the title 'Reducing Plastic Pollution', is within the framework of raising awareness of the dangers of plastic because of its great impact on human health. He also pointed out that this pollution has two parts, one of which is related to the apparent plastic materials, and its impact is on a number of aquatic organisms such as turtles, whales and other large creatures.
Al Maslamani added that the problem lies in the fact that this pollution is transboundary, as it is transmitted from one country to another through environmental factors and the seas, stressing that the MOECC is working on a plan which will also include companies and institutions, to combat this type of pollution.
He indicated that there is a plan to raise awareness and warn of the dangers of plastic materials, and to ban them from commercial complexes, as well as the need to go to other alternatives, which do not represent a threat to the environment and public health.
Engineer Samira Al Dosari, an expert in the MOECC'S Department of Chemicals said that the activities that are held on the occasion of World Environment Day continue on a daily basis for three days, and include many awareness and cultural workshops that highlight the danger of plastic to public health, as well as introducing biodegradable alternative materials made from organic materials.
She indicated that the activities include workshops to introduce children to recycling methods for a number of school and household items. Competitions will also be held for children on a daily basis, to motivate them and introduce them to ways to preserve the environment, she added.
Source: Qatar News Agency