World Environment Day is celebrated across the world on 5th June every year since 1974. world environment day is the most remarkable day for environmental action, as a result, the United Nations Environment program organizes events for environment day every year to encourage worldwide awareness and action for the protection of the environment. In 1974 the first world environment day was celebrated with the theme“Only One Earth”. Since then, world environment day is celebrated annually and various activities for awareness and protection of the environment are carried out. The question normally is why protect the environment? Why should we protect the forest when we need wood to make furniture and other things? To answer these questions, let us start by seeing some established facts about the Ecosystem on Earth.
THE VALUE OF ECOSYSTEMS
- Half of the world’s GDP is dependent on nature and every dollar invested in restoration creates up to 30 dollars in economic benefits. (Verdone and Seidl, 2017)
- Forests provide drinking water to one-third of the world’s largest cities
- Forest also supports 80%, 75%, and 68% of all amphibians, birds, and mammal species, respectively. (HLPE, 2017; Vié, Hilton-Taylor and Stuart, 2009)
- At least 2 billion people depend on the agricultural sector for their livelihoods, particularly poor and rural populations. (WRI, 2019)
- Around $10 trillion in global GDP could be lost by 2050 if ecosystem services continue to decline. (Johnson et al., 2020)
- Land degradation could reduce global food productivity by 12%, causing food prices to soar by up to 30% by 2040. (ELD, 2015)
The theme of World Environment day 2021 is “Ecosystem Restoration”. The restoration here denotes assisting in the recovery of ecosystems that have been degraded by activities like pollution and deforestation. Ecosystem Restoration can be through actively planting trees or by removing pressures on the ecosystem by protecting the environment and reducing the increasing level of pollution. Let’s look at some facts about the effect of Ecosystem degradation.
ECOSYSTEM DEGRADATION
- Ecosystem degradation is already affecting the well-being of at least 3.2 billion people – 40% of the world’s population. (IPBES, 2018)
- Every year, the world loses 10 million hectares of forests – an area the size of the Republic of Korea, or twice the size of Costa Rica. (FAO and UNEP, 2020)
- Soil erosion and other forms of degradation are costing the world more than $6 trillion a year in lost food production and other ecosystem services. (Sutton et al., 2016)
- Approximately 30% of natural freshwater ecosystems have disappeared since 1970.
Ecosystem restoration means preventing, halting, and reversing this damage to go from exploiting nature to healing it. This world environment day will kick off the United Nations decade on ecosystem restoration which is going to be observed between 2021 and 2030. Let’s see the details in the United Nations Secretary General’s speech;
“We are rapidly reaching the point of no return for the planet. We face a triple environmental emergency of biodiversity loss, climate disruption, and escalating pollution. For too long, humanity has cut down the earth’s forests, polluted its rivers and oceans, and exploited its grasslands into oblivion. We are ravaging the very ecosystems that underpin our societies and in doing so we risk depriving ourselves of the food, water, and resources we need to survive. The degradation of the natural world is already undermining the well-being of 3.2 billion people or 40 percent of humanity.
Luckily for us, the Earth is resilient but she needs our help. We still have time to reverse the damage we have done. That is why on this world environment day we are launching the United Nations decade on ecosystem restoration. This global movement will bring together governments, businesses, and civil society, and private citizens in an unprecedented effort to heal the earth by restoring ecosystems. We can drive a transformation that will contribute to the achievement of all the sustainable development goals. The task is monumental; we need to replant and protect our forests, we need to clean up our rivers and seas and we need to green our cities. Accomplishing these things will not only safeguard the planet’s resources, but it will also create millions of new jobs, 2030 generates returns of over 7 trillion American dollars every year and help eliminate poverty and hunger. The United Nations’ decade on ecosystem restoration is a global call to action. It will draw together political support, scientific research, and financial muscle to massively scale up restoration and everyone can contribute. Science tells us these next 10 years are our final chance to avert the climate catastrophe, turn back the deadly tide of pollution, and end species loss. Today, let’s start a new decade; one in which we finally make peace with nature and secure a better future for all”
– UN Secretary-General – Antonio Guterres On World Environment Day June 5, 2021
Finally, let’s truly understand the essence of this year’s theme of world environment day, and let’s initiate changes in our actions to see how we can live better with nature and make little alterations in our day-to-day life when needed. Also, let’s try and educate others because this is not a fight we can win alone. Even if you are able to create awareness for a small group of people, this can make a world of difference. So, create a greener world for yourself and also for all our coming generations. This World Environment Day, join #GenerationRestoration to revive and protect our ecosystems. Join the online celebrations with #GenerationRestoration and #WorldEnvironmentDay
Happy World Environment Day!
