Ethiopia will roll out a six-month nationwide anti-pollution campaign aimed at boosting public awareness and fostering a culture of environmental responsibility, the country’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) said on Saturday.
The campaign, themed “Making Cleaning and Greening Ethiopia a Culture,” follows a similar initiative in 2024 and is designed to educate the public on various forms of environmental pollution and preventive measures, EPA Director General Lelise Neme told state media.
“The initiative seeks to create a movement where all segments of society are actively engaged in protecting the environment,” Lelise said. She also underscored the importance of stricter enforcement of environmental laws, particularly those targeting plastic waste, hazardous material disposal, and project compliance with environmental and social impact assessments.
“Legal action will be taken against violators to ensure accountability and safeguard public health,” she added.
In support of the campaign, the EPA this week signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA), aiming to amplify public outreach efforts through national media coverage. The agreement was described by the EPA on social media platform X as a “critical step for the campaign’s success.”
Lelise emphasized that upcoming infrastructure and industrial projects would be subject to more rigorous environmental oversight, with priority given to initiatives that promote sustainability and minimize harm to ecosystems.
The announcement comes as Ethiopia intensifies its green policy agenda. In February, authorities revealed plans to reduce national greenhouse gas emissions by 68.8% by 2030 as part of broader climate commitments.
