World Environment Day observed with the theme Connecting People to Nature

World Environment Day (WED) is being observed on 5^th June to raise global awareness for the protection of our environment and the planet Earth.

Key Points:

The theme of 2017 is “Connecting People to Nature”.

• According to the UN, the theme “implores us to get outdoors and into nature, to appreciate its beauty and its importance, and to take forward the call to protect the Earth that we share.”
• It is the single largest celebration of our environment each year.
• The celebration of World Environment Day is a global initiative of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
• The 2017 Host Country is Canada.
• Canada is seeking to use World Environment Day to showcase to the world the beauty of its natural environment on land and water.
• Since 1987, World Environment Day has been hosted by different countries.
• The official celebrations are held in that host country. Recent hosts include Angola, Italy, Barbados, Brazil, Norway and the United States.

Background:

World Environment Day(WED) was established by the United Nations General Assembly.

• It is celebrated to mark the opening of United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 1972.
• The first World Environment Day was observed in 1973 and since then it is being held every year with different themes.