NEW DELHI, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- India will host this year's World Environment Day on June 5, the country's environment minister Harsh Vardhan and Erik Solheim, UN Environment's Executive Director, jointly announced here on Monday.

This year's theme would be "beat plastic pollution" which would urge governments, industry, communities and individuals to come together and urgently reduce the production and excessive use of single-use plastic polluting the environment.

Speaking on the occasion, the Indian minister said, "India is excited to host the World Environment Day this year on June 5. Indian philosophy and lifestyle has long been rooted in the concept of co-existence with nature. We are committed towards making planet Earth a cleaner and greener place."

The visiting UN official said, "India will be a great global host of 2018's World Environment Day celebrations. The country has demonstrated tremendous global leadership on climate change."

The World Environment Day is an annual UN-led event which takes place on June 5. It was first organized in 1972.?