World Environment Day takes place every year on June 5. It is the United Nations’ leading day for promoting worldwide awareness and action for the environment. Over the years, it has grown to be the largest global platform for environmental public outreach, and is celebrated by millions of people across the world. This year’s observance of World Environment Day will be on the theme of “ecosystem restoration”, and focus will be on resetting our relation with nature. It will also mark the formal launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030.
Pakistan to host WED 2021
Led by Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Government of Pakistan – in one of the world’s most ambitious afforestation efforts – plans to expand and restore the country’s forests through a 10-billion-tree-tsunami spread over 5 years. The campaign includes restoring mangroves and forests, as well as planting trees in urban settings, including schools, colleges, public parks and green belts. Pakistan has launched an Ecosystem Restoration Fund to support nature-based solutions to climate change, and facilitate the transition towards environmentally resilient, ecologically targeted initiatives covering afforestation and biodiversity conservation.
Recently, the Prime Minister of Pakistan launched the Protected Area Initiative to develop 15 model protected areas across the country, to conserve over 7,300 sq km of land area and create over 5,500 green jobs.
Do you know which sport the Pakastani PM is famous for?
Ecosystem Restoration Decade
Ecosystems support all life on Earth. The healthier our ecosystems are, the healthier the planet – and its people. The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration aims to prevent, halt, and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean. It can help to end poverty, combat climate change, and prevent a mass extinction. It would succeed only if everyone plays a part. The UN Decade is intended to massively scale up the restoration of degraded and destroyed ecosystems to fight the climate crisis; prevent the loss of a million species; and enhance food security, water supply and livelihoods.
World Environment Day is a once-a-year activity; however, it doesn’t mean that we should pay attention to the environment only on that one day. Irrespective of the day, organisation, event, country, theme — preserving nature is our responsibility.
1. Bring a change in your lifestyle. See how we can live better with nature, and make little alterations in our day-to-day life.
2. Educate other people. This is not a fight we can win alone; even if we are able to create awareness for a small minority of people, it can create a world of difference.
3. Respect biodiversity & nature. Biodiversity plays an important role in offering ecological services that make life livable on Earth. Each species, no matter how big or small, has a mind-boggling impact on the ecosystem.
4. Ensure that your business is authorised and in compliance with all environmental regulations.
5. Support local conservation efforts
This is our moment.
We cannot turn back time. But we can grow trees, green our cities, rewild our gardens, change our diets, and clean up rivers and coasts. We are the generation that can make peace with nature. Let’s get active, not anxious.
This World Environment Day, join #GenerationRestoration to revive and protect our ecosystems.
Do you know which of the Sustainable Development Goals the Ecosystem Decade supports?
For more information on WED visit https://www.worldenvironmentday.global/
https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/pakistan-host-world-environment-day-2021
View at Medium.com
Remember to pick up a copy of the newspapers on Saturday June 05 to learn more about EPA’s World Environment Day and upcoming anniversary.
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