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World Environment Day

About World Environment Day

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When is World Environment Day

Every year, World Environment Day is observed on June 5. This day is celebrated to encourage awareness and environmental protection. According to United Nations, "The celebration of this day provides us with an opportunity to broaden the basis for an enlightened opinion and responsible conduct by individuals, enterprises, and communities in preserving and enhancing the environment." 
 
 World Environment Day Theme
 
In 2020, the theme was biodiversity – a concern that is both urgent and existential. Recent events, from bushfires in Brazil, the United States and Australia to locust infestations across East Africa–and now, coronavirus pandemic – demonstrate the interdependence of humans and the webs of life in which they exist.  
 
When was World Environment first celebrated?
 
The day was first observed in 1974 in the city of Spokane in the USA.
 
History of World Environment Day
 
In 1972, the United Nations General Assembly established the World Environment Day on the first day of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. Two years later, in 1974 the first WED was held with the theme "Only One Earth". Even though Environment Day celebration have been held annually since 1974, in 1987 the idea for rotating the center of these activities through selecting different host countries began.
 
Host of World Environment Day 2020
 
Every World Environment Day is hosted by a different country, in which official celebrations take place. In 2020, the host was Colombia in partnership with Germany.
 
How is World Environment Day celebrated?
 
The day is celebrated by engaging governments, businesses, celebrities and citizens to focus their efforts on a pressing environmental issue.
 
Timeline of World Environment Day from 2010 to now
 
'Many Species. One Planet. One Future', was the theme of 2010. Hosted in Rwanda, it celebrated the diversity of life on Earth as part of the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity. The world environment day of 2011 was hosted by India and the theme was Forests—Nature At Your Service. World Environment Day 2012's theme was Green Economy. The celebrations were held in Brazil. WED 2013 was themed on the footprint of food, under the slogan “Think, Eat, Save”. The UN reminded us that one third of all food produced fails to make it from farm to table, which means 1.3 billion tonnes of food, worth 1,000 billion dollars, are wasted. This amount would be enough to feed the 870 million people suffering from hunger around the world, as well as reduce CO2 emissions significantly. 2014 was dedicated to the sea, under the theme “Raise your Voice not the Sea Level!” in order to raise awareness on the problems island nations are facing due to rising sea levels. In 2015, WED was hosted by Milan, Italy, under the theme “Seven Billion People. One Planet. Consume with Care”. That year, WED was the most popular subject on Twitter in more than 20 countries. “Zero tolerance for the illegal trade in wildlife” was the theme of the 2016 edition, hosted by Angola, whilst the 2017 edition, was held under the slogan “Connecting People with Nature” to highlight the crucial role we play in protecting the planet, to which we are closely linked and depend on, with official celebrations taking place in Canada. Whilst the 2018 edition, hosted by India, aimed to “Beat Plastic Pollution”. In 2019, WED focussed its efforts to “Beat Air Pollution”, an issue chosen by China, a country deeply affected by this environmental problem.
 

Latest Updates on World Environment Day

The Delhi airport has decided to replace all its vehicles with EVs in the next four months for its airside operations under the Green Transportation Program

Updated On: 07 Jun 2022 | 10:39 AM IST

Hosted by ASAR and Policy & Development Advisory Group (PDAG), national level dialogue discusses a climate resilient future in Jharkhand

Updated On: 05 Jun 2022 | 11:34 PM IST

On this World Environment Day, ITC reaffirmed its commitment towards a 'Greener Earth' through its bold Sustainability 2.0 agenda

Updated On: 04 Jun 2022 | 2:17 PM IST

On the occasion of World Environment Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend a programme on 'Save Soil Movement' at Delhi's Vigyan Bhawan on Sunday

Updated On: 04 Jun 2022 | 1:14 PM IST

As we observe World Environment Day, it is crucial to remember that we can never undo the harm that took place in Bhopal but we can learn from that and avert future disasters

Updated On: 03 Jun 2022 | 11:35 PM IST

The oxygen that we get from nature is about increasing green cover and ensuring that our air - our every breath - is not polluted.

Updated On: 13 Jun 2021 | 11:51 PM IST

India is one of the top 5 countries around the world where the exposure of the population to PM2.5 pollutant in the air has increased

Updated On: 05 Jun 2021 | 2:30 PM IST

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Updated On: 08 Jun 2021 | 2:50 PM IST

The research wing of the Uttarakhand Forest Department on Saturday informed that it conserved 73 rare, threatened and endangered plant species as well as 54 plant species

Updated On: 05 Jun 2021 | 8:00 AM IST

World Environment 2021 theme is 'ecosystem restoration' - a global mission to revive billions of hectares, from forests to farmlands, from the top of mountains to the depth of the sea

Updated On: 05 Jun 2021 | 7:20 AM IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release report on ethanol blending in India as part of an event marking environment day.

Updated On: 05 Jun 2021 | 6:30 AM IST

The theme for this year's event is 'promotion of biofuels for better environment'.

Updated On: 04 Jun 2021 | 8:56 PM IST

With brand-customer engagements restricted to an online-only universe, advertisers look at ways to wield the double-edged digital sword

Updated On: 17 Jul 2020 | 6:05 AM IST

Also present at the celebration was Minister of State for Environment Babul Supriyo, who said that the government has set a target of planting 145 crore trees this year

Updated On: 05 Jun 2020 | 1:36 PM IST

The theme of World Environment 2020 is 'celebrating biodiversity' - a concern that is both urgent and existential

Updated On: 05 Jun 2020 | 10:27 AM IST

The theme of World Environment 2020 is 'celebrating biodiversity' - a concern that is both urgent and existential

Updated On: 05 Jun 2020 | 8:00 AM IST

Impetus celebrates World Environment Day with a promise to act #ForNature

Updated On: 23 Jun 2020 | 1:53 PM IST

The World Environment Day, which is observed on June 5 annually, is taken as an opportunity to encourage and raise awareness about various environmental issues

Updated On: 02 Jun 2020 | 2:32 PM IST

Can the PM enthuse BJP workers to pursue the end of single-use plastic with the same vigour and enthusiasm as they celebrated an attack on a neighbour?

Updated On: 04 Dec 2019 | 8:22 PM IST

Rapid changes in weather and water supply conditions across the Great Lakes and upper Midwest are already challenging water management policy, engineering infrastructure and human behavior

Updated On: 05 Jun 2019 | 9:48 AM IST