University of Fiji Marks World Environment Day with Renewed Commitment to Beating Plastic Pollution

The University of Fiji has joined the global community in commemorating World Environment Day today, June 5, reinforcing its commitment to environmental protection and sustainability.

This year’s theme, “Beat Plastic Pollution,” echoes strongly with the University’s ongoing initiatives to address the rising environmental threat posed by plastic waste.

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Fiji, Professor Shaista Shameem stated that as a higher education institution deeply rooted in the Pacific, the University recognizes the environmental vulnerability of island nations like Fiji.

She emphasized that plastic waste continues to increase across land and sea, degrading ecosystems and threatening biodiversity, and in line with UniFiji’s Strategic Plan (2022–2026), the University is committed to advancing environmental consciousness through education, partnerships, and policy advocacy.

Professor Shameem urged the University Community to think about their plastic use in keeping with the theme for World Environment Day 2025.

“It is impossible for us to think about life without plastic, but we have to, if we want the world to address plastic waste seriously” she said.

“Otherwise there are vast islands of plastic waste floating in the ocean, trapping marine life, poisoning our seas and causing havoc to our food sources”.

She further highlighted that the University has established the Ecological and Climate Crises Legal Institute (ECCLI), a pioneering interdisciplinary body that brings together scientific knowledge and legal tools to advocate for long-term environmental resilience.

ECCLI represents UniFiji’s vision of a future-ready academic platform that educates and equips the next generation of Pacific leaders.

Another key initiative implemented by the University is its partnership with the Pacific Recycling Foundation, which supports the collection of recyclables from both Saweni and Samabula Campuses.

The collaboration is an important step towards cultivating a cleaner and healthier learning environment while encouraging responsible behavior among students and staff.

She stated that this partnership with the Pacific Recycling Foundation helps contribute meaningfully to the economy and reduce our environmental footprint.

Professor Shameem said that while many companies undertook to recycle plastic waste, the reality was that there was very little proof that recycling was happening to the extent needed.

She urged staff and students of the University to avoid buying water in plastic bottles unless they could see the evidence of recycling.

The University was looking into ways to eliminate plastics from its campuses if it could, she said.

On and international level, support is growing for the proposed Global Plastic Pollution Treaty, currently being negotiated by the United Nations and backed by more than 200 countries.

The University of Fiji stands in support of such international efforts and pledges to align its local actions with global sustainability goals.

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