UNEP launches next phase of Tide Turners with £1,6 m funding for 3 years

22 / 04 / 2023

• news
• Sustainable Development

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) has launched the next phase of Tide Turners, the world’s largest youth-led movement against the plastic crisis, with the United-Kingdom announcing £1,6 million‎ of funding for the next three years.

In an event held in New Delhi with the participation of a global audience of young people, the achievements of the young environmental champions part of the Tide Turners program were celebrated, and the path was set for the next three years of mobilization to combat plastic pollution around the world.

Globally, an estimated 19 to 23 million tons of plastic waste is dumped in lakes, rivers, and seas annually. From the peak of Everest to the bottom of the oceans, plastic pollution is rampant, harming human health, the economy, our environment and threatening the achievement of sustainable development.

Young people – entrepreneurs, community leaders and change-makers – are taking centre stage in global efforts to address the plastic pollution crisis. Through the Tide Turners Plastic Challenge, UNEP works with partners including the World Organization of the Scouts Movement (WOSM), the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), WWF India and the Centre for Environment Education (CEE) India to build the capacities of young people to act against plastic pollution and create a global movement.

Featuring well-known speakers such as Dia Mirza, UNEP’s Goodwill Ambassador, and Afroz Shah, UNEP Champion of the Earth, Thursday’s event brought together institutional partners and young leaders, along with a global audience of 200 people.

Violet Adhiambo, a member of the Girls Guides of Kenya, said “I trained girls in schools on how to recycle plastics and turn into treasures. They are making decorations out of plastics, and we also have an initiative selling plastic waste for money to get uniforms. There are so many of us out there – if we all pick up plastics, we can make our environment clean.”

Sneha Shahi, who was a student at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, cleaned up a river on her college campus, removing over 700 kg of plastic waste. She explained: “We are collecting plastics on the beach but ultimately, the challenge we face is that there is no way to segregate or recycle waste in my community. The closest recycling plant is 200 kms away and it’s been very costly for us.”

“The power of young people, including scouts and the girl guides, to drive environmental action, is phenomenal. The Tide Turners program has reached more than 588,000 youth globally in 40 countries and UNEP is keen to strengthen our partnership with young environmental leaders, including those gathered here, and bring their impact to the next level,” said Bruno Pozzi, Deputy Director of the Ecosystems Division at UNEP.

The fifth phase of the Tide Turners will focus on scaling-up advocacy training for young people as a way to open up the relationship between youth and policymakers.