The United Nations (UN) World Environment Day (WED) is annually observed across the globe on 5 June to emphasise the critical importance of environmental protection and health.
- The WED event has been led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the specialised UN agency on environmental issues, since 1973.
The 2024 theme of the WED campaign is, “Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience” under the slogan “Our land. Our future. We are #GenerationRestoration.”
Host: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the global host of World Environment Day 2024.
- The Republic of Korea will host WED 2025 with a focus on ending plastic pollution globally.
Significance:
i.WED is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach, which gathers millions of people worldwide, engaging them in the effort to protect and restore the Earth.
ii.WED is a vital platform, supporting the progress on the environmental dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Background:
i.On 15 December 1972, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution (A/RES/2994 (XXVII)), designating June 5 as World Environment Day.
ii.The first-ever World Environment Day was observed on 5 June 1973.
Why 5 June?
June 5 marks the inaugural day of the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment, the 1st major conference on environmental issues, also known as the Stockholm Conference.
- The conference was convened under the auspices of the UN, and held from 5-16 June 1972 in Stockholm (Sweden).
UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD):
i.The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) adopted in 1994 is the only legally binding international agreement connecting environment and development with sustainable land management.
ii.The Convention addresses arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas, collectively known as drylands.
iii.According to the UNCCD:
1.Up to 40% of the planet’s land is degraded, affecting half the global population and threatening roughly half of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (USD 44 trillion).
2.Since 2000, the number and duration of droughts have increased by 29%.
3.Without urgent action, droughts could impact over three-quarters of the world’s population by 2050.
Note: 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD. The 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the UNCCD will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 2 to 13 December 2024.
Land restoration:
i.It is a key pillar of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) to protect and revive ecosystems globally, which is critical for achieving SDGs.
ii.Benefits of Land Restoration:
- Every USD 1 invested in restoration yields up to USD 30 in ecosystem services.
- Land restoration increases carbon storage, reduces species extinction, and mitigates climate change.
Desertification:
i.Desertification is a major environmental threat, causing land to dry up. Factors include reduced rainfall, deforestation, and poor irrigation practices.
ii.Around 2 billion people live on drylands vulnerable to desertification, which could displace 50 million people by 2030.
2024 Events:
With the support of partners, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN organised a webinar “Restoration for a Better Environment” to celebrate WED 2024 on 5 June 2024.
About United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP):
Executive Director– Inger Andersen
Headquarters– Nairobi, Kenya
Founded – 1972
