Protecting Our Planet

World Environment Day is the largest International Day of Celebration and advocacy for the environment. Taking place on June 5, it is an opportunity to take a closer look at environmental impact across the planet. This year is the 50th anniversary of this historic celebration, as the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment took place in 1972. As we look to honor this important milestone, it is essential we reflect on the current realities of our world.

Every three seconds, Earth loses enough forest to cover a football field. Throughout the course of the last century, we have destroyed 50 percent of our wetlands. By 2050, as much as 90 percent of our coral reefs could be entirely lost. Despite recent efforts, global greenhouse gas emissions have grown for three consecutive years.

This year, World Environment Day focuses on the theme, “Reimagine. Recreate. Restore.” True ecosystem restoration necessitates the prevention and reversal of environmental damage. The consequences of such neglect and harm are wide-reaching, but they are not final. A few days before World Environment Day, world leaders will meet in Sweden to discuss recent work in the field and formulate plans for the future.

As summer flourishes and the weather grows warmer, reflect on your relationship with nature. Think of the wonders this planet has provided us, from a diverse ecosystem of creatures and all manner of living things to the oceans and mountains and all other sites that make Earth beautiful. No one person can accommodate the change necessary to revive this planet, but we can come together, through education and mindfulness, to protect our home.

Source:

“Reimagine. Recreate. Restore,” un.org/en/observances/environment-day. Accessed May 5, 2022.