Living in an increasingly globalized world, inhabited by 7 billion people, it is easy to underestimate the power of individual action. The annual World Environment Day reminds people across the globe that it is our personal choices that shape the world around us. Our daily decisions as consumers, multiplied by billions, have a colossal impact on the environment – some of them contribute to the further depletion of natural resources, others help to protect fragile ecosystems. Every time - the choice is ours.
The theme for this year’s celebrations, Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care, emphasizes that personal responsibility each one of us bears for enabling inclusive and sustainable economic development while stabilizing and reducing the rate of resource use.
Today, unsustainable patterns of consumption and production are one of the major causes of the continued deterioration of the global environment.
There is no doubt that the "great acceleration" of the last 50 years has seen a rapid transformation of the human relationship with the natural world – more so than in any other period in our history – with escalating use of natural resources leading to environmental degradation.
We must ask ourselves what the consequences of this pace of consumption and trajectory of population growth—forecasted to reach nine billion by 2050—will be. Under current trends, global extraction of resources is set to reach 140 billion tonnes by 2050, compared to around 7 billion tonnes in 1900. This will probably exceed the availability and accessibility of resources, as well as the carrying capacity of the planet to absorb the impacts of their extraction and use.
We simply cannot afford the waste, as resources are diminishing and prices are rising. But there is still time to transform the challenges of dwindling and finite resources into opportunities that will promote prosperous economies and a healthy planet for generations to come.
I would like to invite everyone to imagine what the world would be like if each of the 7 billion people made one change towards a more responsible consumption of resources. I would like you to hold on to that vision and strive to make it reality—be it refusing to buy single-use plastic bags or riding a bike to work.
WED is the opportunity for everyone to realize the responsibility to care for the Earth and to become agents of change.
WED 2015 is being globally hosted by Italy, a country at the forefront of global action towards improved global nutrition and resource use. “It is an honour for Italy to work together with UNEP in leading the global celebrations for World Environment Day 2015,” said Italian Minister for the Environment Gian Luca Galletti. “This year, WED will focus on the need to respect the carrying capacity of the planet and to manage natural resources efficiently—all aspects that are of utmost importance if we really want to ensure prosperity and wellbeing globally.” “I firmly believe in the benefits offered by sustainable consumption and production models in terms of economic opportunities, inclusiveness, employment, resiliency and quality of life,” he said. “We have a unique opportunity to take advantage of the international and multidimensional arena represented by EXPO 2015 to stimulate greater thinking and action on these topics in view of the crucial decisions that will be taken later this year: the launch of the post-2015 development agenda in September, and the new agreement on Climate Change in December.” Watch out for regular updates, photos, videos and blogs on events in Italy here. Highlights of the WED 2015 Programme in Italy include collaboration with the Milan Expo.
The main celebrations for World Environment Day 2015 are being hosted in Milan, Italy. WED will however also be celebrated in many parts of the world led by UNEP Regional Offices and partners. Africa: Cote d'Ivoire A mobile marketing truck will pass through three cities, focusing on consumption patterns in these areas, involving local and consumer groups. In addition there will be a Family Awareness Event/ Journées Portes ouvertes involving different environmental stakeholders, universities, research institutes etc. There will also be televised panel discussions.
Kenya (UNEP HQ) Led by Step by Step, UNEP and UNON who will have a ‘green week’ from 2 to 5 June, aiming to sensitize staff on greener and sustainable practices, focusing on reducing plastic waste and reducing environmental impacts of food choices. Activities include: a booth to share a dream and make a pledge; participation by UNEP Goodwill Ambassador Suzanna Owiyo to speak about her Soko Bila Waste Initiative; a group of children from Nairobi slums will share their experience on life at the dumpsite in Nairobi.
Rwanda : The Rwanda Environment Management Authority, the UN in Rwanda and and Government of Rwanda have organised a National Environment Week (30 May to 5 June) to celebrate WED. Activities will involve a press conference to announce WED; Community Work “Umuganda” at the site managed by Supporting Ecosystem Rehabilitation and Protection for Pro-poor Green Growth Programme in Burera District; public lectures in several provinces; three New Times one-page supplements between 29 May and 3 June; social media campaign; and an event quiz.
South Africa UNEP will launch a pilot project on the adoption of the guidance methodology for food waste reduction in Pretoria, South Africa. Events include media interviews, launch of the Think.Eat.Save. Guidance Document and outreach events at the Pretoria public market.
Asia Pacific:
China : WED celebrations will run from 3 – 5 June in Shanghai and Beijing. Led by UNEP Deputy Executive Director activities include the following: media interview with GQ Magazine, along with a few celebrity supporters; pre-recorded participation in the CCTV Flagship Dialogue programme on WED; launch of WED poster series at the Beijing International Airport and signing of a cooperation agreement with the Beijing Airport Authority; and a student outreach event with celebrity – Mr. Zhu Yawen – and other media events.
Japan : UNEP International Environmental Technology Centre, together with Osaka City Government, are organising a seminar on 5 June focused on the WED theme and targeting the private sector, especially small and medium-sized companies.
Korea : UNEP National Committee for the Republic of Korea (UNEP Korea) will host a public event in Korea on June 5th in cooperation with Gyeonggi-do Provincial Government. As part of the celebrations, UNEP Korea will promote WED along with its own campaign, “Green Planet.” UNEP Korea’s focus for this year’s WED is to educate the communities in Korea on how to lead an eco-friendly lives on a daily basis by providing education and running various hands-on activities. There will be variety of games and quiz events that will motivate people to sustain a good lifestyle by using less water and energy, and having less food waste.
Europe:
Austria : UNEP Vienna, together with GRASP, GRID-Arendal and UNIS, will organize two public events on “Human-wildlife conflicts in mountain regions”, featuring the launch of a photo exhibit at the Vienna International Center and which will remain open until 30 June. The event will also feature the European launch of the newly produced African Mountain Atlas. The second event will take place on Monday 8 June at the UNIS CineONU Event in Vienna’s TopKino and will feature the screening of the highly acclaimed documentary “Virunga” which focuses on the conservation work of rangers in Virunga National Park.
Belgium : WED in Brussels will be celebrated at the Parc du Cinquantenaire on 7 June, with the Fete de l’Environnement organised by the Brussels Region. UNEP will lead an information stand for the UN which, together with UNRIC, UNESCO and FAO, will provide information on climate change and the upcoming COP21, as well as on sustainable consumption. An infographic has been produced by UNRIC in collaboration with UNEP and UNFCCC that will inform the public of everyday actions they can take to live in a more sustainable and eco-friendly manner. The UNEP/UN stand will also feature includes a demonstration of vertical urban gardening and awareness-raising games on sustainable consumption and energy efficiency. WED will also be promoted at Green Week (2-5 June) and the European Development Days (3-4 June) taking place in Brussels, as well as at a dedicated CineONU screening on 8 June, where will we show a documentary relating to climate change.
Bosnia and Herzegovina : UNEP’s Sarajevo office will launch Sarajevo’s Summer for the Environment through a press conference and joint UN release, followed by a visit to the protected areas in the Sarajevo Canton. Building on the successful production of a short film on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s biological and landscape diversity, awareness-raising activities on nature conservation through art will be held at the most important cultural event in the region – the Sarajevo Film Festival.
France : A quiz is being prepared for 20 Minutes, a free tabloid newspaper which has a daily readership of about 3 million. The City of Paris will as usual promote WED on the 150+ electronic billboards around Paris. A staff event on sustainable lifestyles will coincide with DTIE's 40th birthday.
Moldova: WED will be celebrated in Moldova with a major conference on environment and climate change taking place in the Palace of the Republic. The conference will be opened by the President of the Republic of Moldova among other distinguished guests and includes presentations on improving energy efficiency, organic farming and environmental education. National policy makers as well as international organizations, NGOs, business and civil society are expected to attend. The event follows a scoping study carried out by UNEP that looked at different scenarios showing the potential for the country to shift towards being a Green Economy.
Switzerland : Coordinated by the Geneva Environment Network Secretariat, with the contribution of various international governmental and non-governmental organizations and local authorities, events have been organised over three days to include: an Environmental Quiz; a UNOG Library talk presenting the Garbage Patch State; Edora cafétérias green men; a Ciné-ONU screening of the movie "Virunga" at the Maison de la Paix, inside the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies; and a Geneva Environment Roundtable on Sustainable Procurement at the Maison Internationale de L'Environement.
Latin America and the Caribbean:
Brazil : Celebrations will begin on May 31st and end on June 6th. There will be various activities to promote sustainable consumption, including film screenings to the general public and at public schools; Cycle Tour in Brasilia; WED ceremony at the UN House; an organic fair; and social media campaign.
Bahamas : (for the Regional Office for North America) 5 Gyres plastic pollution scientists (part of UNEP Marine Litter Partnership), The Island School, Cape Eleuthra Institute, internationally renowned singer Jack Johnson and his All at Once Foundation are partnering in a Youth Summit to bring together activists, artists, filmmakers, scientists, educators and youth to explore the question—how will island nations deal with plastic pollution in the 21st century. A highlight of the Summit will be the designation of Jack Johnson as UNEP Goodwill Ambassador (North America). He will then embark on an 8-day sailing expedition to conduct and build on the global research of plastic pollution in the ocean. Jack will also be featured on the cover of the USA Today supplement on 5 June, with an interview highlighting WED and his designation. An article from UNEP focused on food waste will be appearing in the same USA Today supplement.
West Asia:
Dubai : In partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Zayed International Foundation for the Environment, Municipality of Dubai, and the Business Sector, UNEP will be holding a popular event to raise awareness about WED 2015. Activities involve building a stage and stands in Dubai Mall, the biggest mall in Dubai, where workshops will be held and animations displayed. It will be an opportunity to also interact with a wide range of people. Thousands are expected to attend.
Bahrain : UNEP will organise a special event in Bahrain City Center, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Gulf Air, and GPIC (business sector). A well-known specialised team in theatre will come from Lebanon to raise environmental awareness about WED 2015 theme. There are also plans to produce a Public Service Announcement with the Prince in Bahrain and the UNEP Goodwill Ambassador for the Arab region to be broadcasted at the take-off and landing of Gulf Air.
Kuwait : In coordination with UNCG in Kuwait, WED 2015 will be highlighted through an awareness session for Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) and contractors’ employees on resource conservation, and KOC efforts on the same. Activities include a Best Environmental Slogans Competition, based on the theme – Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume wit Care; a Field Cleaning Competition for Contractors; and an Environmental Awareness and Plantation Distribution in two schools.
Qatar : UNEP, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment in Qatar, will support a business sector company to organise awareness raising activities to mark WED 2015. Activities will include competitions and winners will be awarded on the day.
