Today, on World Environment Day, students around the world are raising their voices against one of the greatest threats to our planet: plastic pollution. The Global Student Forum (GSF), the democratic representation of student unions worldwide, joins the call to action to #BeatPlasticPollution and demand bold solutions that put people and the planet over profit.
Each year, more than 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally. Half of it is designed to be used just once. As landfills overflow, oceans choke, and microplastics infiltrate food chains, the world is waking up to the full cost of our throwaway culture. For students, this is not a distant issue. It is our present and our future. It impacts our health, our communities, and the ecosystems we depend on.
Plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue. It is a justice issue. Waste from high-income countries often ends up in lower-income regions, disproportionately affecting the most marginalised communities. And while students across the globe are calling for sustainable systems, many decision-makers continue to delay action in favour of short-term profits.
At GSF, we believe that meaningful youth and student participation is essential to transforming environmental policy. Students must be included at every level of decision-making, from international negotiations to campus policies. This is especially urgent now, as countries prepare for the next round of negotiations on a global treaty to end plastic pollution. We cannot afford another agreement that ignores equity, public health, and youth voices.
The blue economy, built on the sustainable use of ocean resources, has the potential to create millions of decent jobs, preserve biodiversity, and drive green innovation. Yet this promise is being undermined by plastic pollution and unsustainable industrial practices. Education plays a critical role in equipping students with the knowledge and skills to engage with and lead in the blue economy. From marine biology and ocean governance to environmental engineering and circular design, academic institutions must prepare students to be changemakers in shaping a future where economic prosperity goes hand in hand with environmental leadership.
Around the world, student movements are already leading by example. They are pushing universities to divest from fossil fuels and plastic producers. They are organising clean-up campaigns and plastic-free campuses. And they are demanding national bans on single-use plastics and investment in circular economies.
But we need more than voluntary actions. We need systemic change.
This World Environment Day, we call on:
- Governments to deliver an ambitious, binding treaty to end plastic pollution, with clear timelines and accountability mechanisms.
- Educational institutions to embed environmental justice and blue economy education into curricula and institutional practices.
- UN bodies and international platforms to ensure student representation in climate and environmental negotiations.
This year’s theme is a reminder that we already have the knowledge and tools to tackle plastic pollution. What we need now is the political will. Student power will be essential in making it happen.
