U.S. Department of State (DOS) Secretary Antony J. Blinken commemorated Earth Day, an annual event aimed at raising awareness and demonstrating support for environmental protection, by calling on Americans to reflect on the occasion.
"In 2024, we mark two milestones: the 54th Earth Day and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs," said Blinken. "Over the last five decades, environmental diplomacy has contributed to repairing the hole in our ozone layer, reducing the pollution that causes acid rain, and protecting the populations of key fish species people rely on for food. Americans and people around the world live longer, healthier, more prosperous lives because of the work of U.S. environmental diplomats."
According to a DOS news release, this year's Earth Day was centered on the threat posed by plastic pollution to our waterways, oceans, and those who depend on these fragile ecosystems including people and marine life. The federal government is actively taking measures to mitigate these environmental challenges. Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22.
"We are leading discussions on a global agreement on plastic pollution that would help protect the health of our planet and our communities," Blinken added. "The State Department is also taking direct and immediate action through the End Plastic Pollution International Collaborative (EPPIC) initiative — a global public-private partnership that brings together governments, civil society, and businesses to drive innovation, leverage resources, and deploy projects and policy efforts to reduce plastic pollution."
"Plastic pollution exacerbates issues of water quality, food safety, public health, and disproportionately affects vulnerable populations," Blinken said. "This Earth Day, let us renew our commitment to turn the tide on plastic pollution and forge a path towards a cleaner, more sustainable world."
