The United Nations (UN) International Mother Earth Day (or Earth Day) is annually observed across the globe on 22nd April to recognise the relationship between humans and nature in the ecosystems.
- The day highlights the need to protect and enhance people’s livelihoods, counteract climate change, and stop the collapse of biodiversity.
Theme:
According to Earthday.org, the theme of Earth Day 2024 is Planet vs. Plastics.
- The theme underlines the need for collective action to repair and heal the Earth’s ecosystems, combat climate change, and preserve biodiversity.
Significance:
This marks the third Mother Earth Day celebrated within the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021 – 2030 which offers a platform to revive the natural world amidst the ongoing environmental crisis.
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/63/278 on 22nd April 2009 and proclaimed the 22nd April of every year as International Mother Earth Day.
- This proposal was initiated by the ‘Plurinational State of Bolivia’.
ii.The first-ever International Mother Earth Day was observed on 22nd April 2009.
iii.The term “Mother Earth” reflects the interdependence between humans, other living species, and the planet.
History of the observance:
i.The American Peace Activist John McConnell proposed the observance Earth Day to celebrate the beauty and life of Earth during the 1969 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) conference held in San Francisco, the United States of America(USA).
ii.The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970, marking the birth of the modern environmental movement
Points to note:
i.According to the UN, Earth is losing around 10 million hectares of forest annually. It is also estimated that around 1 million flora and fauna species are now threatened with extinction.
ii.The observance highlights the need to protect the earth and enhance people’s livelihoods, counteract climate change, and stop the collapse of biodiversity.
iii.Deforestation, land-use change, intensified agriculture and livestock production or the growing illegal wildlife trade, the crimes that disrupt biodiversity, will increase the speed of destruction of the planet.
