The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) annually organizes events for World Environment Day, which encourages worldwide awareness and action for the protection of the environment. It is celebrated on 5 June in over 100 countries.
The theme for World Environment Day 2020 is, ‘Time for Nature,’ with a focus on its role in providing the essential infrastructure that supports life on Earth and human development.
This focus is expected to provide an opportunity for driving the momentum and public awareness of nature as a key aspect in the lead up to the 15th meeting of the Parties (COP 15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). COP 15 was expected to take place in October 2020, but will be rescheduled for 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
History of environmental day
World Environment Day was established in 1972 by the United Nations on the first day of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, resulting from discussions on the integration of human interactions and the environment. Two years later, in 1974 the first WED was held with the theme “Only One Earth”. Even though WED celebration have been held annually since 1974, in 1987 the idea for rotating the centre of these activities through selecting different host countries began
Healthy personal habits you can start now
Switch to sustainable products
Consider the products you use at home, like cleaning supplies and cosmetics (haircare and skincare). Switch to something more eco-friendly, ideally made from natural, biodegradable materials in plastic-free or fully recyclable packaging.
Use less water
Small changes in how you use water at home can add up to a significant difference and conserve a lot of water in the long run. Turn off your tap when you are brushing your teeth. Be mindful of how long your shower is. When washing dishes, fill up a pot or large mixing bowl with warm water and dish soap. Use that water to scrub all of your dishes at once, and then turn on the tap only to rinse. Do not keep the tap running the whole time to wash and rinse each dish individually.
Walk more
You’ve heard it a million times, but have you implemented more walking in your own life? Consider the places you go often, like work, and figure out if there are ways that you can walk — even if it is only once or twice a week. Walking is great for your health, cuts down on transportation-related carbon emissions and allows you to get to know your neighborhood in a completely different way.
Switch your light bulbs
Every time a light bulb burns out in your house, switch to a long-lasting led bulbs. These light bulbs reduce your energy consumption and last a very long time.
Buy energy-efficient appliances
When possible, choose ENERGY STAR-rated appliances. It is an extra cost upfront, but it will significantly reduce your energy bill long into the future.
Keep fridge coils and AC vents clean
If the coils on your refrigerator and the vents on your air conditioner are kept clean, they won’t need to use up additional energy just to cool to the regular temperature.
Shut off your devices
When you are finished using it, turn off your computer and monitor. Avoid overcharging your cellphone or leaving it to charge overnight. Ideally, shut off your TV and other appliances through the main switch or outlet, not just the remote, so that you break the circuit and save energy.
Thus, this day motivates you to save and protect your environment and encourages and raises awareness among the masses
- “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” » Native American Proverb
- “I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad. Otherwise what is there to defend?” » Robert Redford
- “Heal the world, make it a better place, for you and for me and the entire human race. There are people dying if you care enough for the living. Make it a better place for you and for me.
- “When is the best time to plant a tree? …Twenty years ago. The second best time is…now!”
- “One who doesn’t love nature, cannot love anything in life.”
- “Don’t blow it – good planets are hard to find.” » Time
- “Imagine if trees gave off Wifi signals, we would be planting so many trees and we’d probably save the planet too. Too bad they only produce the oxygen we breathe.”
- Only When The Last Tree Has Died, The Last River Has Been Poisoned And The Last Fish Has Been Caught, Will We Realize That We Cannot Eat Money?
- “The only way forward, if we are going to improve the quality of the environment, is to get everybody involved.” » Richard Rogers
- One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between man and nature shall not be broken. —Leo Tolstoy
- Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.- Aldo Leopold
- Waste, not the smallest thing created, for grains of sand make mountains, and atomies infinity.- E. Knight
- Every day is Earth Day.~Proverb
- “Time spent among trees is never time wasted.”—Anonymous
- “The environment is where we all meet; where we all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share.”-Lady Bird Johnson
- “Pleasure is Nature’s test, her sign of approval. When a man is happy, he is in harmony with himself and his environment”. -Oscar Wilde
- “Earth is our mother. In spite of our desire to harm our mother, she will always love us forever.”
- Hungry And The Earth Will Serve, Thirsty And The Seas Will Water! Do You Still Want To Cut That All?
- Nature is man’s teacher. She unfolds her treasures to his search, unseals his eye, illumines his mind, and purifies his heart; an influence breathes from all the sights and sounds of her existence- Alfred Billings Street
- What is the use of a house if you don’t have a decent planet to put it on?- Henry David Thoreau
Timeline of key accomplishments in WEDs’ history
For almost five decades, World Environment Day has been raising awareness, supporting action, and driving changes for the environment. Here is a timeline of key accomplishments in WEDs’ history
2020
The theme for 2020 is “Bio Diversity”, and will be hosted in Colombia in partnership with Germany
Colombia is one of the largest “Megadiverse” nations in the world to hold 10% of the planet’s biodiversity. Since it is part of the Amazon rain forest, Colombia ranks first in bird and orchid species diversity and second in plants, butterflies, freshwater fish, and amphibians.
2019
The theme for 2019 is “Beat Air pollution”. The host nation is China. This theme was chosen as it has been killing about 7 million people annually
In Réunion Island, Miss Earth 2018 Nguyễn Phương Khánh from Vietnam delivered her speech during the World Environment Day with the theme “How to fight global warming“.[
2018
The theme for 2018 was “Beat Plastic Pollution”. The host nation was India.[6] By choosing this theme, it is hoped that people may strive to change their everyday lives to reduce the heavy burden of plastic pollution. People should be free from the over-reliance on single-use or disposables, as they have severe environmental consequences. We should liberate our natural places, our wildlife and our own health from plastics.The Indian government pledged to eliminate all single use of plastic in India by 2022.
2017
The theme for 2017 was ‘Connecting People to Nature – in the city and on the land, from the poles to the equator’. The host nation was Canada.
2016
The 2016 WED was organized under the theme “Go wild for life”. This edition of the WED aims to reduce and prevent the illegal trade in wildlife.[10] Angola was chosen as the host country of the 2016 WED during the COP21 in Paris.Activities for world environment day in Bhopal, India
2015
The Slogan of the 2015 edition of the World Environment Day is “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care”. The slogan was picked through a voting process on social media.[13][14] In Saudi Arabia, 15 women recycled 2000 plastic bags to crochet a mural in support of the WED 2015.[15] In India, Narendra Modi planted a Kadamb sapling to celebrate the World Environment Day and raise awareness for Environment.[16][17] Italy is the host country of the 43rd edition of the WED. The celebrations took place as part of Milan Expo around the theme: Feeding the Planet – Energy for Life.[18]
2014
The Theme of the 2014 WED is : International Year of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS). By choosing this Theme the UN General Assembly aimed to highlight the development Challenges and successes of the SIDS. In 2014, the World Environment Day focused on global warming and its impact on ocean levels. The Slogan of the WED 2014 is “Raise your voice not the sea level”, as Barbados hosted the global celebrations of the 42nd edition of the World Environment Day The UN Environment Programme named actor Ian Somerhalder as the official Goodwill ambassador of the WED 2014.
2013
Stage in front of the Brandenburg Gate on Environmental Festival 2011World Environment Day 2011 in Donetsk, UkraineUS Consul CG Yee, along with the Mayor of Thessaloniki Vassilis Papageorgopoulos, the Prefect of Thessaloniki Panagiotis Psomiadis, and many others participating in World Environment Day on the waterfront, Bike PathTrees planting during the World Environment Day 2012 in Konso – Ethiopia.
The 2013 theme for World Environment Day was Think.Eat.Save.
The campaign addressed the huge annual wastage and losses in food, which, if conserved, would release a large quantity of food as well as reduce the overall carbon footprint. The campaign aimed to bring about awareness in countries with lifestyles resulting in food wastage. It also aimed to empower people to make informed choices about the food they eat so as to reduce the overall ecological impact due to the worldwide production of food.The host country for the year’s celebrations was Mongolia.
2012
The theme for the 2012 World Environment Day was Green Economy.
The theme aimed to invite people to examine their activities and lifestyle and see how the concept of a “Green Economy” fits into it. The host country for the year’s celebrations was Brazil.
2011
The world environment day of 2011 was hosted by India. It was the 1st time for India to host the day. The theme for 2011 was Forests—Nature At Your Service. Thousands of activities were organized worldwide, with beach clean-ups, concerts, exhibits, film festivals, community events, tree plantings and much more.
2010
‘Many Species. One Planet. One Future’, was the theme of 2010.
It celebrated the diversity of life on Earth as part of the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity. It was hosted in Rwanda. Thousands of activities were organized worldwide, with beach clean-ups, concerts, exhibits, film festivals, community events and much more. Each continent (except Antarctica) had a “regional host city”, the U.N. chose Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the host for all North.
2009
The theme for WED 2009 was ‘Your Planet Needs You – UNite to Combat Climate Change’, and Michael Jackson’s ‘Earth Song’ was declared ‘World Environment Day Song’. It was hosted in Mexico.
2008
The host for World Environment Day 2008 was New Zealand, with the main international celebrations scheduled for Wellington. The slogan for 2008 was “CO2, Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy.” New Zealand was one of the first countries to pledge to achieve carbon-neutrality, and will also focus on forest management as a tool for reducing greenhouse gases
The Chicago Botanic Garden served as the North American host for World Environment Day on 5 June 2008.
2007
The topic for World Environment Day for 2007 was “Melting Ice – a Hot Topic?” During International Polar Year, WED 2007 focused on the effects that climate change is having on polar ecosystems and communities, on other ice- and snow-covered areas of the world, and the resulting global impacts.
The main international celebrations of the WED 2007 were held in the city of Tromsø, Norway, a city north of the Arctic Circle.
2006
The topic for WED 2006 was Deserts and Desertification and the slogan was “Don’t desert drylands“.
The slogan emphasised the importance of protecting drylands. The main international celebrations of the World Environment Day 2006 were held in Algeria.
2005
Standard WED banners hung in San Francisco, USA in May 2005.
The theme for the 2005 World Environment Day was “Green Cities” and the slogan was “Plant for the Planet!”
WORLD Environment Day Anthem
An Earth Anthem penned by poet Abhay K is sung to celebrate World Environment Day.
Our cosmic oasis, cosmic blue pearl
the most beautiful planet in the universe
all the continents and all the oceans
united we stand as flora and fauna
united we stand as species of one earth
different cultures, beliefs and ways
we are humans, the earth is our home
all the people and the nations of the world
all for one and one for all
united we unfurl the blue marble flag.
It was launched in June 2013 on the occasion of the World Environment Day by Kapil Sibal and Shashi Tharoor, then Union Ministers of India, at a function organized by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations in New Delhi. It is supported by the global organization Habitat For Humanity
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