World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated annually on 5 June and encourages awareness and action for the protection of the environment. It is supported by many non-government organizations, businesses, government entities, and represents the primary United Nations outreach day supporting the environment.
First held in 1973, it has been a platform for raising awareness on environmental issues such as marine pollution, overpopulation, global warming, sustainable development, and wildlife crime. World Environment Day is a global platform for public outreach, with participation from over 143 countries annually, including participation from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand and the United States. Every year, the program has provided a theme and forum for businesses, non-government organizations, communities, politicians and stars to advocate environmental causes.
World Environment Day was established in 1972 by the United Nations at the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment (5–16 June 1972), following discussions on integrating human activities with the environment. One year later, in 1973, the first WED was held with the theme "Only one earth".
World Environment Day celebrations have been (and will be) hosted in the following cities:
Annual themes, major initiatives, and accomplishments
For more than five decades, the UN has been raising awareness, supporting action, and driving environmental change through World Environment Day. Here is a timeline of key accomplishments in the history of World Environment Day:
The theme for the 2005 World Environment Day was "Green Cities" and the slogan was "Plant for the Planet!".
The topic for WED 2006 was Deserts and Desertification and the slogan was "Don't desert drylands".
The slogan emphasised the importance of protecting drylands. The main international celebrations of World Environment Day 2006 were held in Algeria
The topic for World Environment Day in 2007 was "Melting Ice – a Hot Topic?" During International Polar Year, WED 2007 focused on the effects of climate change on polar ecosystems and communities, other ice- and snow-covered areas of the world, and the resulting global impacts.
The main international celebrations of WED 2007 were held in Tromsø, Norway, a city north of the Arctic Circle.
Egypt issued a postage stamp for the 2007 World Environment Day.
The host for World Environment Day 2008 was New Zealand, with the main international celebrations scheduled for Wellington. The slogan for 2008 was "CO2, Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy." New Zealand was one of the first countries to pledge to achieve carbon-neutrality, and will also focus on forest management as a tool for reducing greenhouse gases.
The Chicago Botanic Garden served as the North American host for World Environment Day on 5 June 2008.
The theme for WED 2009 was "Your Planet Needs You – UNite to Combat Climate Change", and Michael Jackson's "Earth Song" was declared "World Environment Day Song". It was hosted in Mexico.
"Many Species, One Planet, One Future" was the theme of 2010.
It celebrated the diversity of life on Earth as part of the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity. It was hosted in Rwanda. Thousands of activities were organized worldwide, including beach cleanups, concerts, exhibits, film festivals, community events, and more. Each continent (except Antarctica) had a "regional host city", the UN chose Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the host for all North.
The theme for 2011 was 'Forests – Nature At Your Service'. Thousands of activities were organized worldwide, with beach cleanups, concerts, exhibits, film festivals, community events, tree plantings and much more. India hosted it.