Traditional GK

Introduction:

World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5 every year to raise awareness and encourage action to protect the environment. Every year, the day is marked with a specific theme that focuses on pressing environmental issues. For example, recent themes have included issues such as biodiversity, air pollution, plastic pollution and sustainable use. The theme of World Environment Day 2023, for example, "Ecosystem Restoration", highlights the importance of restoring degraded or destroyed ecosystems to combat climate change, protect biodiversity and secure human livelihoods. The purpose of such themes is to inspire individuals, communities and governments worldwide to take meaningful action towards environmental sustainability and conservation.

Table of contents:

1. What is World Environment Day and why it is celebrated?

2. History of World Environment Day

3. Activities of World Environment Day

4. Themes of World Environment Day year wise

5. What is the World Environment Day and why it is celebrated?

World Environment Day (WED) is a global platform organized annually by more than 143 countries to raise public awareness of environmental issues. In 1974, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, South Africa, and the United States combined were responsible for marine pollution, global warming, overpopulation, was first held to raise awareness about wildlife crime and sustainable development. Every year 5 June is celebrated as World Environment Day and the program provides themes and forums for businesses, communities, non-governmental organizations and politicians.

• . History of World Environment Day:

The seeds of World Environment Day were first sown by the General Assembly at the opening of the United Nations Environment Program in 1972, and a year later, on June 5, 1973, World Environment Day was first celebrated in Stockholm, Sweden. It is held every year in a city based on the annual theme announced by the United Nations, where different environmental issues are discussed through various activities. Today it has become a global platform of mass awareness through the affiliation of more than 100 countries. It is the most important day of the United Nations to make people aware of environmental protection and encourage them to take some positive steps to protect the environment.

• . Activities of World Environment Day:

World Environment Day is celebrated to raise environmental awareness among people and encourage them to take various positive steps to protect their environment. World Environment Day revolves around a central theme set by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) on 5 June. Every year on this day different themes are set to protect the environment and make the environment more beautiful and clean. Here are some general ideas for activities that can be adapted to suit specific themes:-

1. Tree Planting:

• . Hosting tree planting events in community spaces, schools or parks.

• .To educate participants about the importance of trees in combating climate change and providing oxygen.

2. Community Clean-up:

• . Organizing park, beach, or local area clean-up programs.

• . Encouraging participants to collect and properly dispose of waste, especially plastics.

3. Wildlife Conservation Activities:

• . Partnering with local wildlife organizations to promote conservation efforts.

• . Organizing activities like bird watching or animal tracking to raise awareness about local species.

4. Educational Workshops and Seminars:

• . Conducting workshops on topics like recycling, composting and sustainable living.

• . Environmental experts should be invited to speak about the theme and related issues.

5. Environmental Commitment:

• . Encourage individuals and organizations to commit to sustainable practices.

• . Share these pledges on social media to inspire others

6. Environmental Challenges:

• . Challenges like "Plastic-Free Week" or "Vehicle-Free Day" should be taken up to promote sustainable habits.

• . Provide tips and resources to help participants succeed.

7. Community Garden:

• . Start or maintain a community garden to provide fresh, local produce.

• . Educate participants about organic gardening and the benefits of growing their own food.

8. Demonstration of renewable energy:

• . Set up demonstrations of solar panels, wind turbines, or other renewable energy sources

• . Provide information on how individuals and communities can adopt renewable energy.

9. Online Campaign:

• . Use social media to spread awareness about the theme and share tips for saving the environment.

• . People can be encouraged to share their actions and ideas by creating hashtags

10. School Program:

• . Develop educational programs and activities for schools that focus on the environment.

• . Organize competitions around the theme, such as essay writing or poster making.

By engaging communities in these activities, World Environment Day can inspire positive environmental change and foster a deeper connection with the natural world.

• Themes of World Environment Day year wise:

The World Environment Day has been celebrated for fifty two years now. Every year one country celebrates this day through a theme. Here is a list of World Environment Day themes over the years:

1972: World Environment Day was established by the United Nations in Stockholm and the theme was “Stockholm Conference on Human Environment”.

1973: One year later, the first WED was held in Geneva,, Switzerland with the theme “Only one Earth”.

1974: It was hosted by the United States in Spokane for raising awareness on environmental issues as marine pollution, overpopulation, global warming, sustainable development and wildlife crime. The theme was “Only One Earth during the Expo’74”.

1975: It was hosted in Dhaka, Bangladesh and the theme was “Human Settlements”.

1976: It was held in Ontario, Canada with the theme “Water: Vital Resource for Life”.

1977: It was held in Sylhet, Bangladesh.  In 1977, for instance, the event focused on Ozone Layer Environmental Concern; Lands Loss and Soil Degradation.

1978: It was hosted in Sylhet, Bangladesh and the theme was “Development without Destruction”.

1979: With the theme “Only One Future for Our Children – Development without Destruction” it was held in Sylhet, Bangladesh.

1980: In this year the World Environment Day was hosted by Sylhet, Bangladesh with the theme “A New Challenge for the New Decade: Development without Destruction”.

1981: “Ground Water; Toxic Chemicals in Human Food Chains” was the theme of this year’s World Environment Day, hosted by Sylhet, Bangladesh.

1982: It was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh with the theme “Ten Years after Stockholm (Renewal of Environmental Concerns)”.

1983: Held in Sylhet, Bangladesh with the theme “Managing and Disposing Hazardous Waste: Acid Rain and Energy”.

1984: With the theme “Desertification” it was held in Rajshahi, Bangladesh.

1985: The theme was “Youth: Population and the Environment” and the host city was Islamabad, Pakistan.

1986: It was hosted by Ontario, Canada with the theme “A Tree for Peace”.

1987:  This year in Nairobi, Kenya the World Environment Day program was held with the theme “Environment and Shelter: More Than a Roof”.

1988: “When People Put the Environment First, Development Will Last” was the theme of this year and the host city was Bangkok, Thailand.

1989: In this year the host city was Nairobi, Kenya and the theme was “Global Warming; Global Warning”.

1990: With the theme “Children and the Environment” this year the host city was Mexico City, Mexico.

1991: The host city was Stockholm, Sweden and the theme was “Climate Change. Need for Global Partnership”.

1992: It was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with the theme “Only One Earth, Care and Share”.

1993: The theme was “Poverty and the Environment – Breaking the Vicious Circle” and Beijing, People’s Republic China was the host city.

1994: It was hosted by United Kingdom, London and the theme was “One Earth, One Family”.

1995: The host city was Pretoria, South Africa and the theme was “We the Peoples: United for the Global Environment”.

1996: Hosted by Istanbul, Turkey the theme was “Our Earth, Our Habitat, Our Home”.

1997: With the theme “For Life on Earth” it was hosted by Seoul,  Seoul, Republic of Korea..

1998: The theme was “For Life on Earth – Save Our Seas” and hosted by Moscow, Russian Federation.

1999: It was held in Tokyo, Japan with the theme “Our Earth – Our Future – Just Save It!”

2000: In Adelaide, Australia it was held with the theme “The Environment Millennium – Time to Act”.

2001: “Connect with the World Wide Web of Life” was the theme and the host city was Torino, Italy and Havana, Cuba.

2002: In this year World Environment Day was held in Shenzhen, People’s Republic China with “Give Earth a Chance” theme.

2003: “Water – Two Billion People are Dying for It!” was the theme and was held in Beirut, Lebanon.

2004: With the theme “Wanted! Seas and Oceans – Dead or Alive?” it was hosted by Barcelona, Spain.

2005: The host city was San Francisco, United States and the theme was “Green Cities: Plan for the Planet!”

2006: The theme was “Deserts and Desertification - Don't Desert Dry lands!” and was hosted by Algiers, Algeria.

2007: The host city was London, England and the theme was “Melting Ice – a Hot Topic?”

2008: “Kick the Habit: Towards a Low Carbon Economy” was the theme and was held in Wellington, New Zealand.

2009: With the theme “Your Planet Needs You - Unite to Combat Climate Change”, it was hosted by Mexico City, Mexico.

2010: With “Many Species. One Planet. One Future.” theme the host city was Rangpur, Bangladesh.

2011: It was held in Delhi, India with the theme “Forests: Nature at Your Service”.

2012: “Green Economy: Does it include you?” theme was hosted by Brasilia, Brazil on World Environment Day.

2013: Hosted by Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; the theme was “Think. Eat. Save. Reduce Your Foodprint”

2014: “Raise Your Voice, Not the Sea Level” was the theme hosted by Bridgetown, Barbados.

2015: It was hosted by Rome, Italy the theme was “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care.”

2016: It was held in Luanda, Angola with the theme “Zero Tolerance for the Illegal Wildlife Trade”.

2017: With the theme “Connecting People to Nature” it was held in Ottawa, Canada.

2018: Hosted by New Delhi, India the theme was “Beat Plastic Pollution”.

2019: “Beat Air Pollution” theme was hosted by People’s Republic China.

2020: The theme “Biodiversity” was hosted by Colombia.

2021: It was held in Pakistan with the theme “Ecosystem Restoration”

2022: Hosted by Sweden the theme was “Only One Earth”.

2023: “Solutions to Plastic Pollution” was theme hosted by Côte d'Ivoire supported by Netherland.

2024: It was hosted by Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with the theme “Beat Plastic Pollution (recurrent theme)”.

2025: It will be hosted by Republic Korea and the theme will be “Ending Plastic Pollution”.

2026: The host city will be Azerbaijan. The theme is to be decided.

These themes focus on various aspects of environmental conservation and awareness, reflecting the evolving priorities and challenges in the global environmental landscape.

Conclusions:

In summation, taking action to protect the environment is not just a responsibility, but a personal mission we all share. World Environment Day serves as an annual reminder of our collective duty to safeguard and preserve our planet. It not only highlights our progress but also calls for continued, meaningful efforts to ensure a sustainable future for generations to come. First celebrated on June 5th, 1974, World Environment Day has been a platform to raise awareness about critical environmental issues such as marine pollution, overpopulation, global warming, sustainable development, and wildlife crime. This day unites us in the fight against environmental degradation, encourages education and awareness, promotes sustainable living policies, and inspires collective action to create a positive impact for a healthier planet.

FAQs:

1 . Who started Environment Day?

World Environment Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972, inspired by the landmark discussions at the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment (June 5–16, 1972). This important conference is the first major international meeting on environmental concerns to highlight the need to integrate human activities with environmental stewardship. World Environment Day is observed on June 5 every year to raise global awareness and take action on pressing environmental challenges.

2 . What is the primary goal of World Environment Day?

The aim of World Environment Day is to stop the degradation of ecosystems and restore them to meet the global goals. Healthy ecosystems are crucial to improving human livelihoods, mitigating climate change and preventing biodiversity loss.

3 . Who decides the theme for World Environment Day?

Since its establishment in 1973, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) has led the program. In 2024, Saudi Arabia hosts World Environment Day, focusing on land reclamation, combating desertification and increasing drought resilience.