World Environment Day
World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated annually on 5 June and encourages awareness and action for the protection of the environment. It is supported by many non-governmental organizations, businesses, government entities, and represents the primary United Nations outreach day supporting the environment.[1][2]
| World Environment Day | |
|---|---|
| Official name | UN World Environment Day |
| Also called | Eco Day, Environment Day, WED (world environment day) |
| Type | International |
| Significance | Environmental issues awareness |
| Observances | Environment Protection |
| Date | 5 June |
| Next time | 5 June 2024 |
| First time | 5 June 1973 |
First held in 1973, it has been a platform for raising awareness on environmental issues as marine pollution, overpopulation, global warming, sustainable development and wildlife crime.[3] World Environment Day is a global platform for public outreach, with participation from over 143 countries annually. Each year, the program has provided a theme and forum for businesses, non government organizations, communities, governments and celebrities to advocate environmental causes.[4][5]
History Edit
World Environment Day was established in 1972 by the United Nations at the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment (5–16 June 1972), that had resulted from discussions on the integration of human interactions and the environment. One year later, in 1973 the first WED was held with the theme "Only One Earth".[6]
Host cities Edit
World Environment Day celebrations have been (and will be) hosted in the following cities:[7]
| Year | Theme | Host city |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Stockholm Conference on Human Environment | Stockholm,United Nations |
| 1973 | Geneva, Switzerland[8] | |
| 1974 | Only one Earth during Expo '74[9] | Spokane, United States |
| 1975 | Human Settlements | Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| 1976 | Water: Vital Resource for Life | Ontario, Canada |
| 1977 | Ozone Layer Environmental Concern; Lands Loss and Soil Degradation | Sylhet, Bangladesh |
| 1978 | Development Without Destruction | Sylhet, Bangladesh |
| 1979 | Only One Future for Our Children – Development Without Destruction | Sylhet, Bangladesh |
| 1980 | A New Challenge for the New Decade: Development Without Destruction | Sylhet, Bangladesh |
| 1981 | Ground Water; Toxic Chemicals in Human Food Chains | Sylhet, Bangladesh |
| 1982 | Ten Years After Stockholm (Renewal of Environmental Concerns) | Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| 1983 | Managing and Disposing Hazardous Waste: Acid Rain and Energy | Sylhet, Bangladesh |
| 1984 | Desertification | Rajshahi, Bangladesh |
| 1985 | Youth: Population and the Environment | Islamabad, Pakistan |
| 1986 | A Tree for Peace | Ontario, Canada |
| 1987 | Environment and Shelter: More Than A Roof | Nairobi, Kenya |
| 1988 | When People Put the Environment First, Development Will Last | Bangkok, Thailand |
| 1989 | Global Warming; Global Warning | Brussels, Belgium |
| 1990 | Children and the Environment | Mexico City, Mexico |
| 1991 | Climate Change. Need for Global Partnership | Stockholm, Sweden |
| 1992 | Only One Earth, Care and Share | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| 1993 | Poverty and the Environment – Breaking the Vicious Circle | Beijing, People's Republic of China |
| 1994 | One Earth One Family | London, United Kingdom |
| 1995 | We the Peoples: United for the Global Environment | Pretoria, South Africa |
| 1996 | Our Earth, Our Habitat, Our Home | Istanbul, Turkey |
| 1997 | For Life on Earth | Seoul, Republic of Korea |
| 1998 | For Life on Earth – Save Our Seas | Moscow, Russian Federation |
| 1999 | Our Earth – Our Future – Just Save It! | Tokyo, Japan |
| 2000 | The Environment Millennium – Time to Act | Adelaide, Australia |
| 2001 | Connect with the World Wide Web of Life | Torino, Italy and Havana, Cuba |
| 2002 | Give Earth a Chance | Shenzhen, People's Republic of China |
| 2003 | Water – Two Billion People are Dying for It! | Beirut, Lebanon |
| 2004 | Wanted! Seas and Oceans – Dead or Alive? | Barcelona, Spain |
| 2005 | Green Cities – Plant for the Planet! | San Francisco, United States |
| 2006 | Deserts and Desertification – Don't Desert Drylands! | Algiers, Algeria |
| 2007 | Melting Ice – a Hot Topic? | London, England |
| 2008 | Kick The Habit – Towards A Low Carbon Economy | Wellington, New Zealand |
| 2009 | Your Planet Needs You – Unite to Combat Climate Change | Mexico City, Mexico |
| 2010 | Many Species. One Planet. One Future | Rangpur, Bangladesh |
| 2011 | Forests: Nature at your Service | Delhi, India |
| 2012 | Green Economy: Does it include you? | Brasilia, Brazil |
| 2013 | Think.Eat.Save. Reduce Your Foodprint | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia |
| 2014 | Raise your voice, not the sea level | Bridgetown, Barbados |
| 2015 | Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care. | Rome, Italy |
| 2016 | Zero Tolerance for the Illegal Wildlife trade | Luanda, Angola |
| 2017 | Connecting People to Nature – in the city and on the land, from the poles to the equator | Ottawa, Canada |
| 2018 | Beat Plastic Pollution[10] | New Delhi, India |
| 2019 | Beat Air Pollution[11] | People's Republic of China |
| 2020 | Time for Nature[12][5] | Colombia |
| 2021 | Ecosystem restoration[13] | Pakistan |
| 2022 | Only One Earth | Sweden |
| 2023 | Solutions to Plastic Pollution | Côte d'Ivoire |
Annual themes and major initiatives and accomplishments Edit
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:
2005 Edit
The theme for the 2005 World Environment Day was "Green Cities" and the slogan was "Plant for the Planet!".[14]
2006 Edit
The topic for WED 2006 was Deserts and Desertification and the slogan was "Don't desert drylands".[15]
The slogan emphasised the importance of protecting drylands. The main international celebrations of the World Environment Day 2006 were held in Algeria.[citation needed]
2007 Edit
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.[citation needed]
The main international celebrations of the WED 2007 were held in the city of Tromsø, Norway, a city north of the Arctic Circle.[16]
Egypt issued a postage stamp for the 2007 World Environment Day.[17]
2008 Edit
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.[18]
The Chicago Botanic Garden served as the North American host[19] for World Environment Day on 5 June 2008.
2009 Edit
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.[20]
2010 Edit
"Many Species. One Planet. One Future", was the theme of 2010.[citation needed]
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.[21] Each continent (except Antarctica) had a "regional host city", the U.N. chose Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the host for all North.[22]
2011 Edit
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[23] and much more.
2012 Edit
The theme for the 2012 World Environment Day was Green Economy.[24]
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.[24]
2013 Edit
The 2013 theme for World Environment Day was "Think.Eat.Save".[25]
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.[25] The host country for the year's celebrations was Mongolia.[citation needed]
-
Stage in front of the Brandenburg Gate on Environmental Festival 2011
-
World Environment Day 2011 in Donetsk, Ukraine
-
US 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 path
-
Trees planting during the World Environment Day 2012 in Konso, Ethiopia
2014 Edit
The Theme of the 2014 WED was 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.[26] 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.[27][28] The UN Environment Programme named actor Ian Somerhalder as the official Goodwill ambassador of the WED 2014.[29]
2015 Edit
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.[30][31] In Saudi Arabia, 15 women recycled 2000 plastic bags to crochet a mural in support of the WED 2015.[32] In India, Narendra Modi planted a Kadamb sapling to celebrate the World Environment Day and raise awareness for Environment.[33][34] 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.[35]
2016 Edit
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.[36] Angola was chosen as the host country of the 2016 WED during the COP21 in Paris.[37][38]
2017 Edit
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.[39]
2018 Edit
The theme for 2018 was "Beat Plastic Pollution". The host nation was India.[40] 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.[41] The Indian government pledged to eliminate all single use of plastic in India by 2022.[42]
2019 Edit
The theme for 2019 was "Beat Air Pollution". The host nation was China. This theme was chosen as air pollution kills about 7 million people annually.[43]
In Réunion Island, Miss Earth 2018 Nguyễn Phương Khánh from Vietnam delivered her speech during World Environment Day with the theme "How to fight global warming".[44]
2020 Edit
The theme for 2020 was "Time for Nature", and was hosted in Colombia in partnership with Germany.[12]
Colombia is one of the largest megadiverse countries in the world and holds close to 10% of the planet's biodiversity. Since it is part of the Amazon rainforest, Colombia ranks first in bird and orchid species diversity and second in plants, butterflies, freshwater fish, and amphibians.
2021 Edit
The World Environment Day falls on June 5. The theme for 2021 is "Ecosystem Restoration",[45] and was hosted by Pakistan. On this occasion UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration was also launched.[46][47]
2022 Edit
The World Environment Day theme for 2022 is "Only One Earth" and the event was hosted by Sweden.
2023 Edit
The World Environment Day theme for 2023 is "Solution to plastic pollution" and the event was hosted by Côte d'Ivoire. It is a reminder that people’s actions on plastic pollution matters. The steps governments and businesses are taking to tackle plastic pollution are the consequence of this action. It is time to accelerate this action and transition to a circular economy.[48]
Celebrations Edit
1981 World Environment Day celebration Edit
On 5 June 1981, World Environment Day 1981 was celebrated.[citation needed]
2022 World Environment Day celebration Edit
On 5 June 2022, millions of people in multiple different countries across the whole world celebrated World Environment Day 2022 despite the COVID-19 pandemic.[citation needed]
See also Edit
References Edit
- ^ "Global actions on World Environment Day underscore urgent need to protect the planet". United Nations. 5 June 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "World Environment Day 2021". America’s Charities. 28 May 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Telephone Conference for World Environment Day - Part 1". United Nations UN Audiovisual Library. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ "World Environment Day". United Nations. from the original on 5 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
- ^ a b "World Environment Day 2020: Theme, History, Quotes, Celebration". S A NEWS. 3 June 2020. from the original on 5 June 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- ^ Hill, Gladwin (4 June 1973). "Environment Day to Mark First Year of World Effort". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ "World Environment Day: driving five decades of environmental action" 8 June 2019 at the Wayback Machine, worldenvironmentday.global, no date; has most theme, some host country and a few host city identifications. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ Hill, Gladwin (4 June 1973). "Environment Day to Mark First Year of World Effort (Published 1973)". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ "Proclamation 4296—World Environment Day, 1974 | The American Presidency Project". www.presidency.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ Nelliyat, Prakash (21 June 2018). "Beating plastic pollution". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- ^ "World Environment Day: Beat air pollution". World Meteorological Organization. 5 June 2019. from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- ^ a b Environment, U. N. "World Environment Day". World Environment Day. Retrieved 4 June 2020.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "World Environment Day 2021: Press Release". UNEP NEWS. 3 June 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
- ^ lish/About_WED_2005/ World Environment Day 2005 Official Site, 2005, "About World Environment Day 2005" 19 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 28 May 2009
- ^ "UN World Environment Day 2006, in Algiers, to focus on Desertification". UN News. 13 February 2006. from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- ^ Norwegian Polar Institute, World Environment Day 2007–information in English 1 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine and Norwegian
- ^ "Ministry of State for Environment Affairs (MSEA) celebrations of the World Environment Day 2008". www.sis.gov.eg. 5 June 2008. from the original on 5 September 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ UNEP Press Release, 1 October 2007, "Kick the Habit – World Environment Day 2008 to be Hosted by New Zealand with Focus on Fostering Low-Carbon Economies" 13 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 10 November 2007
- ^ "world environment day 2008 host countries". from the original on 11 January 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
- ^ "WED That Was – 2009". from the original on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
- ^ "World Environment Day 2010". from the original on 29 May 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2010.
- ^ "The New Emerald City". Pittsburgh Magazine. April 2010 [22 March 2010 (Web publication date)]. from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
- ^ "Club news" 17 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine, unenvironment.org, 7 August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ a b Times News Network (31 May 2012). "World Environment Day 2012: Let's pledge to make earth a better place". The Times of India. from the original on 9 June 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
- ^ a b "'Think.Eat.Save' World Environment Day 5 June". World Environment Day. United Nations Environment Programme. 5 June 2013. from the original on 4 June 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
- ^ "World Environment Day 2014 | Department of Environmental Affairs". www.environment.gov.za. from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ Staff Reporter (5 June 2014). "World Environment Day 2014: Theme, History, Host Country and Observances". International Business Times UK. from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ "World Environment Day 2014". www.icimod.org. from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ "Ian Somerhalder named Goodwill Ambassador for World Environment Day 2014". TreeHugger. from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ "Event: World Environment Day 2015". from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ "Vote for your World Environment Day 2015 slogan". europa.eu. from the original on 28 August 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ . web.unep.org. Archived from the original on 23 October 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ "PM plants "Kadamb" sapling on World Environment Day". www.narendramodi.in. from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ "Why PM Modi planted 'Kadamb' sapling on World Environment Day?". Microfinance Monitor. 5 June 2015. from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ "Italy hosts the official World Environment Day celebrations at Expo Milano". TreeHugger. from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ "Event: World Environment Day 2016". from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ "Angola to Host World Environment Day in 2016". Angola Press Agency (Luanda). 14 December 2015. from the original on 19 December 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ "Angola to host World Environment Day 2016". www.climateactionprogramme.org. from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ "2017 Host country named as Canada, UNEP, 31 Jan 2017". Retrieved 8 February 2017.[dead link]
- ^ "India Raises Curtain on Historic World Environment Day". unenvironment.org. 25 May 2018. from the original on 17 August 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ "Host Nation India Focuses On 'Beat Plastic Pollution' Theme". NDTV.com. from the original on 5 June 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
- ^ "India aims to partner with UN to promote use of solar energy". The Economic Times. 6 June 2018. from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ^ "World Environment Day – How the world came together to #BeatAirPollution" 12 June 2019 at the Wayback Machine, www.worldenvironmentday.global, 7 June 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
- ^ Hoi, Dao Van (10 June 2019). "Hoa hậu Phương Khánh được báo quốc tế ca tụng vì bài diễn văn tại "Ngày môi trường thế giới" (Miss Phuong Khanh was praised by the international newspaper for her speech at "World Environment Day")". Pháp Luật Plus. from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
- ^ "World Environment Day 2021 Date, History, Theme, Significance, Quotes". S A NEWS. 3 June 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ^ Team, BS Web (5 June 2021). "World Environment Day 2021: Theme, ecosystem restoration, pics, and more". Business Standard India. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ^ 2021 Theme: Ecosystem Restoration Geneva Environment Network, 31 May 2021
- ^ Solutions to Plastic Pollution. worldenvironmentday.global
External links Edit
- Official website
- World Environment Day 2019
- 2008, 2009
- World Environment Day 2018 Theme