WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAYJUNE 5th, 2023 ‘FIVE DECADES OF PURE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION’

World Environment Day is one of the most important days focused on climate action & the world's environment. The first World Environment Day was held on June 5th, 1973. The day has grown gradually into a platform for raising all kinds of environmental awareness and environmental action. The day is led by the UNEP, the acronym for the United Nations Environment Program, and every year, the day's focus varies according to the theme. For example, in 2015, Italy hosted it in Milan, and the theme focused on the tagline "Seven Billion People. One Planet. Consume with Care," Similarly, it has been 1973, hosted by various countries with a different theme every time. A day similar to World Wildlife Day, celebrated on March 3rd & World Oceans Day, which falls on June 8th,

THE ROLE OF THE UNITED NATIONS & UNEP:

United Nations is the body responsible for starting the day under the UNEP. It is the sole responsibility of the United Nations to focus on growing environmental concerns, whether climate change, forest Wildfires, rising sea levels, deforestation, and issues related to illegal animal killings & saving endangered species & wildlife. All fall under the category of environmental issues as they are part of the ecosystem. Throughout the year, several international conferences are held in different parts of the world with a focus on environmental awareness & immediate action. Environmental action needs a strategy to be discussed & the best platform for that is the conferences held in various countries around the globe.

WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL DAY- JUNE 5th, 2023 - IVORY COAST:

Ivory Coast shall host World Environment Day in 2023 in West Africa. The current year's theme is 'Solutions to Plastic Pollution,' the prime objective is raising awareness about environmental degradation while motivating people for environmental protection.

Below, we will discuss the last decade of the key highlights of selected World Environmental Days held in various countries & also the various themes of the day;

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2022- SWEDEN:

World Environment Day 2022 celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the UN International Day. The host country selected for the day was Sweden, which pledged to stop issuing licenses for new coal, oil and natural gas extraction.

Sweden, a country in Scandinavia, has played a massive role in environmental protection. Also, one of the environmental activists & the youngest to raise their voice regarding climate change is a Swedish named Greta Thunberg. She has also been nominated for a Noble Peace Prize every year from 2019 to 2022.

The theme for the year 2022 was adopted under the slogan "Only One Earth." This means all the global issues that relate to the environment are under one umbrella, i.e.' One Global Umbrella' laying emphasis on the power of one for the sake of resolving environmental concerns.

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2021- PAKISTAN:

The World Environment Day 2021 was hosted by Pakistan & the focus of the year 2021 was Ecosystem Restoration. It was hosted under the theme "Reimagine.Recreate.Restore". This year the day casts a spotlight on how humanity has been exploiting the planet's ecosystem and also called for a concentrated global effort to repair the damages that has been done.

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2020- COLUMBIA:

In the year 2020, the World Environment Day was hosted by Columbia & the theme of the year 2020 was focused on biodiversity. Biodiversity is an environmental concern that is both urgent as well as existential.

Major developments took place in Columbia as fourteen world leaders released their differing statements, including Costa Rica, Finland, France & Seychelles and some others.

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2019- CHINA:

The theme of 2019 World Environment Day was focused on

Air Pollution & it was hosted by China. It is indeed a global crisis or rather an emergency that causes around 7 million premature deaths per year.

China is a country which has also launched its Air Quality Improvement Report (2013-2018) for the sake of showcasing successful policies as well as reflecting on the lessons learned.

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2018- INDIA:

The World Environment Day 2018 was hosted by India and was the 45th celebration of the day. The theme was 'Beat Plastic Pollution' as plastic pollution is a huge environmental concern of South-East Asia especially, i.e. India, Pakistan & Bangladesh.

In 2018, almost 6,000 to 6,500 people gathered at Versova Beach in Mumbai, the biggest & most populated city of India. The aim was to join the UN environment champion of the Earth Afroz Shah in a beach clean-up. A practice where they collected over 90,000 kg of plastic.

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2017- CANADA:

World Environment Day came to Canada, which is the largest North American nation as well as the largest of the nations in North America to have given their contributions to the environment. The theme was focused on the tagline 'I am with Nature.' It was here, in the host country, that Canadian PM Justin Trudeau joined UNEP's Erik Solheim to connect with nature by paddling kayaks along the Niagara River.

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2015- ITALY:

The World Environment Day goes viral & this time it is hosted by Milan, Italy with the theme "Seven Billion People. One Planet. Consume with Care," it is the most popular subject on Twitter in more than 20 countries.

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2013- MONGOLIA:

The World Environment Day, i.e. June 5th, 2013, was hosted by Mongolia, a country that is in Asia near China. Mongolia is the country famous for being the land of the Mongol Kings who ruled for many years over India. The theme of the year 2013 was "Think.Eat.Save". The campaign highlights the environmental toll of food waste, empowering people to make informed choices for the sake of reducing the ecological impact of food production.