Tuesday 6 June 2017

World Environment Day 2017: Connecting People to Nature

It’s time! Once again UN Environment seeks to make the biggest global call and mobilization for action on 5 June, World Environment Day (WED).

Yes, World Environment Day is the largest annual event for positive environmental action.

World Environment Day is a day for everyone, everywhere. It was inaugurated in 1972 following the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden on 5-16 June – the first international conference on environmental issues.

Since its first celebration on 5 June 1974, millions of people across the world have taken part in thousands of events to raise awareness and generate political momentum around growing concerns such as the depletion of the ozone layer, toxic chemicals, desertification and global warming.

Events range from neighbourhood clean-ups, to action against wildlife crime, to replanting forests.

Closer home, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Central Government along with state governments and municipal representatives of cities have decided to launch a massive and important campaign of waste management.

"On the occasion of World Environment Day, there are going to be litter bins made available to collect solid waste and liquid waste in 4000 towns of the country," he said.

"Connecting with nature means nurturing a better planet. And, who can explain this in a better way than Mahatma Gandhi? Mahatma Gandhi often used to say, “One must care about a world one will not see”. This means that it is our duty to be concerned about the world which we shall not see and to care for that," Modi noted.

The Day has developed into a global platform for taking action on urgent environmental issues, driving change in our consumption habits as well as influencing national and international policy.

The host country for this year’s celebration is Canada, succeeding 2016 host Angola.

Canada has chosen the theme “Connecting People to Nature” for 2017, which invites people to enjoy the outdoors and to take forward the call to protect the Earth that we share.

Erik Solheim, Head of UN Environment, said: “It reminds us of what a treasure nature is, and encourages us all to protect and appreciate our environment.”

Countries around the world will host events and introduce initiatives to celebrate the largest annual event for positive environmental action.

This year the citizens of Mumbai, India are taking part in a mass beach clean-up, while Canada is offering free entry to its national parks and marine conservation areas.

To get involved you can join the global album by sharing a photo or video of your favourite place in nature using #WorldEnvironmentDay or #WithNature on the Crescent FB page.​

You can also join over 1,000 events taking place across the globe, or even organise your own.

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