Apenisa Waqairadovu 
Pacific Recycling Foundation founder Amitesh Deo says Earth Day 2025 must not be treated as a celebration but must serve as a clear and uncomfortable mirror reflecting how far we are falling behind.
He says as the world marks Earth Day under the theme “Our Power, Our Planet,” we cannot afford empty gestures in the face of escalating environmental collapse and widening social inequality.
Deo says the world should be advancing bold climate action and inclusive justice.
However, Deo claims that instead, there is an alarming regression, fueled by political authoritarianism, corporate greed, and shrinking civic space.
PRF founder Amitesh Deo. [Photo: Supplied]
The PRF founder says environmental decisions driven by corporate interests, often disconnected from ground realities, tend to prioritise profit over people, sidelining grassroots environmental and recycling advocates in the process.
He says PRF is calling for a shift from superficial sustainability to systems that prioritise justice, dignity, and long-term accountability.
Deo stresses that there are solutions, but what’s missing is the will to act.
He says that Earth Day must remind us not only of our shared power but also of our shared responsibility.
He adds that protecting the Earth cannot be an annual performance; it must be a daily commitment to justice, to equity, and to each other.
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