Volunteer students take to Senegal's beaches to combat pollution problem

Senegalese volunteers played their part to keep the country's coastline clean by cleaning up beaches in the coastal town of Bargny on Thursday, which marked World Environment Day, helping raise public awareness on the need to conserve the environment.

Located just 15 kilometers from the capital Dakar, Bargny is known for its beautiful beaches and diverse marine life. However, the picturesque town has been blighted by an unwanted plastic problem, as all kinds of waste, from shoes, nappies, electrical goods and even destroyed boats accumulate on the sandy shores.

Senegal boasts vast beaches and diverse marine life which make it a hot tourism destination, but the increasing piles of rubbish along the shoreline threatens to keep visitors away.

"Taking care of this environment is very important because it's part of sustainable tourism which is essential for us. Additionally, considering we're in June at the beginning of the summer season when guests start coming to the beach for vacation, we conduct the beach cleaning this month," said Coutta Badji, a local tourism department official . The clean-up project around Bargny is being supported by Zero Waste Senegal, an environmental protection association working to sustainably manage waste. Most of the volunteers involved are young people from local neighborhoods, and the organization is keen for them to spread a positive message about being responsible for the environment.

"Children are our future, and getting them involved in this at an early age helps cultivate a culture of model citizenship. It enables them to participate in waste collection while exploring alternative solutions to plastic pollution. Bringing them on board is an important thing for us too, " said Abdoulaye Sene, a member of Zero Waste Senegal.

According to the association, most of the 270,000 tons of plastic thrown away in the country every year is not properly treated, with just around 60 percent of it collected and only 10 percent being recycled.

Given how much of this waste finds its way into the ocean, the organization says the problem has a serious impact on wildlife, as a number of seabirds and other animals eat the discarded plastic, while some even die of suffocation.

In light of this, conservationists says more needs to be done to reduce plastic waste.

"We are committed to environmental management, considering global warming and all other factors that will have a negative impact on our environment. We recommend working with the young and giving them a better environmental education," said Babacar Seck, an environmental expert.

Senegal passed a law banning the use of plastic bags back in 2021, but implementing the measure has been difficult and waste continues to pile up in the most unlikely of places.

Despite the challenges, volunteers say that collecting all manner of waste and keeping the ocean clean remains a deeply satisfying task, as does raising public awareness and encouraging more people to do their bit to keep the environment clean.

Led by the United Nations Environment Program and held annually on June 5 since 1973, World Environment Day is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach and is celebrated by millions of people across the world.

Volunteer students take to Senegal's beaches to combat pollution problem

The statement of U.S. President Donald Trump highlighted the urgency for reforming global governance, according to a poll from China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Friday.

"I don't need international law," said Trump during an with The New York Times this week, days after the U.S. attack on Venezuela and the forcible seizure of President Nicolas Maduro. This statement perfectly captures Washington's unilateral and hegemonic trajectory. The New York Times observed that Trump's assessment of his own freedom to use any instrument of military, economic or political power to cement American supremacy was the most blunt acknowledgment yet of his world-view.

In a global public opinion poll conducted by CGTN, 93.5 percent of respondents expressed belief that the U.S., by pursuing unilateralism, has placed itself in opposition to the international community. Also, 91.7 percent think that reforming the global governance system is an urgent priority.

On Wednesday the U.S. announced its withdrawal from 66 international organizations, setting a new record for its retreat from multilateral commitments. These organizations span climate, energy, and global governance, among other fields. Trump argues that their operations run counter to U.S. national interests, sovereignty, and economic prosperity.

In response, 84.1 percent of respondents were not surprised by the U.S. move. Meanwhile, 88.9 percent viewed it as another radical step under the "America First" doctrine. In addition, 93 percent believed the U.S. approach of using international systems when beneficial and abandoning them when not severely undermines the existing international order and global fairness and justice. Also, 88.3 percent noted that the U.S. withdrawals once again expose it as an irresponsible major power, dealing a significant blow to its international reputation. Furthermore, 88.5 percent believe the U.S. withdrawals reflect its negative attitude toward global governance.

The recent episode of unilateral and bullying actions by the U.S. government has sparked widespread alarm and discontent within the international community. Washington's adherence to the law of the jungle where "might is right" is severely undermining the global governance system. In the poll, 89.9 percent of respondents agreed that multilateralism, based on coordination and cooperation, remains key to addressing current global governance challenges. Meanwhile, 94.4 percent believe it is crucial to advance the reform of the global governance system, uphold international rule of law, and enhance the effectiveness of multilateral mechanisms. Moreover, 90 percent think major powers should shoulder greater responsibility and play a more constructive role in promoting global governance reform.

The poll was conducted across CGTN platforms in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Russian languages, attracting 24,000 responses within 24 hours.

Trump says 'I don't need international law,' highlighting urgency for reforming global governance: CGTN poll