United Nations has listed India as the Global host for World Environment Day, 2018.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Environment, Forest and Climate change minister, was present at the Indira Paryavaran Bhavan where India and United Nations signed a pact which declared India as the Global host for World Environment Day, 2018.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, on the occasion, announced that his ministry’s headquarters will now be plastic-free. The headquarters are located in Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, which the first government building in Delhi with net zero energy green. The building is designed in a way that is suitable for conservation of natural areas and trees. The building provides adequate natural light.

Environment Secretary C.K. Mishra signed the document with Erik Solheim, U.N Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Environment. ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ will be the theme for this year’s World Environment Day.

“It is the beginning of the end of plastic menace,” Dr. Harsh Vardhan said during his address. He assured that this will not be a symbolic UN day.

Erik Solheim also addressed at the function and said, “Plastic pollution is a huge environmental and health issue for the planet. It is a health issue for ourselves because when big plastics degrade into small pieces, it gets into the ocean. Small plastic particles are eaten by fish. We eat fish and the plastic gets into our body. So plastic pollution is a huge environment and health issue”