WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2021

Anything that surrounds us, whether it be biotic (living) or abiotic (no-living), including physical, chemical or other natural forces, in this case non-artificial, is called as environment. It provides us with essential resources like food, water, air, soil, etc. It is also a home to different living species which are dependant on each other for survival. This is also known as the ecosystem. Therefore, our environment plays an important role in healthy living and the sustainability of existing life on our Earth.

However, recently there have been many threats to these important resources. Trees are getting cut down, soil erosion is occurring, water bodies are getting contaminated, the air around us is filled with pollutants, some species of animals are changing their living pattern whereas some are going extinct. Few of the major reasons for this drastic change are deforestation, pollution of air, water, soil and global warming. These do not only affect the environment, but also us and all the living beings around us.

Therefore, it is essential for us to spread awareness about the matter and help preserve it for the benefit of the present and future generations before it’s too late. One such initiative has also been started by the United Nations for the preservation of our environment.

On the first day of Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment in 1972, the UN General Assembly had established a day which serves as a reminder to each one of us not to vouchsafe nature and to understand the need to protect and preserve our environment. This day is known as the ‘World Environment Day’ and is celebrated on the 5^th of June every year. It is one of the most renowned day for environmental action.

Human interactions with environment, as well as many other important issues related to our environment were discussed at the conference. The nations had also agreed upon some universal principles to guide the citizens on how to help protect the environment. Finally, the conference led to the creation of the United Nations Environmental Programme or UNEP.

Two years after getting established, the first World Environment Day was held on June 5, 1974 with the theme – ‘Only One Earth’. Every year a different theme is selected and a different country is appointed as the host for the official celebrations i.e. weeklong festivities including global fairs. Education institutions are also the major participants of these celebrations each year. Schools engage children into fun activities such as poster and banner making as well as plays and nukkad nataks to spread awareness among children. Art exhibitions out of recycled and eco-friendly materials, essay and creative writing contests, skits and rallies are held with the motive to engage people for a greener future.

 In the following years, WED has developed as a platform to raise awareness on the problems facing our environment such as air pollution, plastic pollution, illegal wildlife trade, sustainable consumption, sea-level increase, and food security, among others. Furthermore, WED helps drive change in consumption patterns and in national and international environmental policy.

This year’s host of World Environment Day is Pakistan and the theme is – ‘Ecosystem Restoration’. The global official celebrations will be held on 4-5 June through a Virtual Launch Gala welcoming the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The event will include inspiring messages from world leaders, activists, celebrities, and musical performances as well as Pakistan’s host country programme.

Ecosystem restoration can take many forms: Growing trees, greening cities, rewilding gardens, changing diets or cleaning up rivers and coasts. But what it actually means is assisting in the recovery of ecosystems that have been degraded or destroyed, as well as conserving the ecosystems that are still intact. Healthier ecosystems, with richer biodiversity, yield greater benefits such as more fertile soils, bigger yields of timber and fish, and larger stores of greenhouse gases.

Restoration can happen by actively planting or removing pressures so that the nature can recover on its own. But it is not always possible or desirable to return an ecosystem to its original state. Therefore, the Government of Pakistan has planned to expand and restore the country’s forests through a ‘10 Billion Tree Tsunami’ spread over the next five years. This campaign includes restoring mangroves and forests, as well as planting trees in urban settings, including schools, colleges, public parks and green belts.

Through the ’10 Billion Tree Tsunami’ campaign, Pakistan is also contributing to the Bonn Challenge, which is a global effort liked to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Under the challenge, the people are also pledging to restore 350 million hectares of the world’s deforested and degraded land by 2030.

The World Environment Day offers us a global platform for inspiring positive change. It is not only to protect our home but also of many other living species on Earth. It helps promote sustainable development so as to ensure that the future generations have all the desirable resources and a clean and healthy environment. It pushes for individuals to think about the way they consume, for businesses to develop greener models, for farmers and manufacturers to produce more sustainably, for governments to invest in repairing the environment, for educators to inspire students to take some action and for youth to build a greener future.

 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. Every individual should realise that the need to protect the environment lies in one's own hands. Thus it is believed that one small change can bring about a greater change, to make the world a better place to live in.