June 2025: Key environmental & circular economy highlights around the world
In commemoration of World Environment Day (June 5) and World Oceans Day (June 8) this week, we've curated top stories that shed light on the state of the Earth today
Hello from wherever you are in the world!
This month, June 2025, marks important events related to our collective home: Planet Earth. 🌏
Key events:
World Environment Day (June 5) with the theme #BeatPlasticPollution
World Oceans Day (June 8) with the theme Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us
UN Ocean Conference 2025 (June 9-13) in Nice, France, a conference that aims to accelerate action and mobilize stakeholders to conserve and sustainably use the oceans
Circular Economy Forum 2025 (June 17-18) in Manila, Philippines, a platform to advance circular economy adoption in regional investments, per ADB's 2024–2030 Environment Action Plan
While we can go on and on about circular economy strategies, waste trafficking, unsustainable consumer behaviors, and collective action, this newsletter is a little different.
To help you stay a responsible and informed citizen, we’ve curated 8 key stories on the environment and circularity. Read on below!
Global
⚓️ Climate activist Greta Thunberg joins aid ship sailing to Gaza aimed at breaking Israel’s blockade, AP News
Thunberg has embarked on a humanitarian flotilla from Sicily to Gaza, calling for the world to focus on oppression and ecological collapse as interconnected crises. Thunberg framed the mission as a protest against what she called a “live-streamed genocide,” citing more than 52,000 Palestinian deaths. Apart from the humanitarian crisis, the use of weaponry and the destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure—pollution, unclean water, collapsed waste systems—threaten both health and sustainable development.
Asia and the Pacific
🥵 Report: Marine heatwave engulfed an area five times the size of Australia in the oceans around Southeast Asia and the Pacific, The Guardian
A World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report has revealed that 40 million square kilometers of ocean around Southeast Asia and the Pacific was engulfed in a marine heatwave in 2024. WMO scientists said the record heat, on land and in the ocean, was mostly driven by the climate crisis and coincided with a string of extreme weather events, from deadly landslides in the Philippines to floods in Australia and rapid glacier loss in Indonesia.
🇮🇩 Greenpeace and Raja Ampat youth confront nickel industry, Greenpeace
At the Indonesia Critical Minerals Conference, Greenpeace Indonesia and Raja Ampat youth protested the environmental and social damage caused by nickel mining. They demanded accountability for deforestation, pollution, and harm to local communities, calling for urgent policy changes to address these issues.
‼️ Sign the petition here to urge the Indonesian government to evaluate and revoke nickel mining permits, especially in locations like Raja Ampat.
🇮🇳 Not just a DROP, Munambam fishers lead drive against ocean plastic pollution, The Times of India
The project, called Drive to Recover Ocean Plastic (DROP), jointly executed by the Munambam Harbour Management Society, fishermen’s associates, and NGO Plan@Earth, ensured the recovery of 22,000kg of plastic waste by fishing boats in 2024-25.
Africa
🌍 Africa Circular Economy Facility: Bolstering Africa's Transformation in 2025, African Development Bank Group
The African Circular Economy Facility (ACEF) is expanding in 2025, funding three new AfriCircular hubs and supporting additional governments on circular roadmaps under the African Circular Economy Alliance.
United States
🇺🇸 Environmental Protection Agency Rollbacks Threaten Health & Climate, AP News
An AP analysis reports that the EPA is preparing rollbacks on fossil-fuel and vehicle emissions regulations originally implemented during the Trump administration. While the agency emphasizes economic gains, these rollbacks could risk up to 30,000 lives annually and cost society $275 billion per year in lost benefits. Experts warn this could lead to increased smog, mercury, lead, and fine particulate pollution, undermining progress on clean air and climate mitigation.
Europe
🌊 EU Progress on Marine Litter & Plastics Treaty, EU Science Hub & European Commission
A 29 % reduction in macro‑litter on EU coastlines (2015–2021 data) signals improvement. Moreover, the EU is actively pressing for a legally binding global plastics agreement during ongoing negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty, aiming for a full lifecycle approach to plastics by 2025.
⚠️ EU Tackles “Forever Chemicals”, The Financial Times
Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)—a persistent pollutant from herbicides and refrigerants—has become widespread in European waterways, rain, food, and even breast milk. The EU is considering classifying TFA as toxic and debating restrictive regulations amid industry pushback.
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Thank you for being part of our community and taking the time out of your precious day to read our newsletter and learn more about circularity.
Wherever you may be in the world, do you have any environment- or circularity-related stories to share? Comment them down below!
—Danna of SEArcularity