World Environment Day Attracts “Enthusiastic Interest”
New Zealand Environment Minister congratulated local communities today for taking such an “enthusiastic interest” in World Environment Day 2008.
World Environment Day 2008 is being held around the world today, June 5.
The main international celebrations for this year’s event are being hosted in Wellington, New Zealand. According to the United Nations’ World Environment Day website, the agenda for the day is:
…to give a human face to environmental issues; empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development; promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues; and advocate partnership, which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future.
The theme this year is:
Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy
The theme also includes the role of forest conservation and sustainable forestry in achieving domestic and global climate change goal.
There are many ways you can participate in World Environment Day 2008. Here are some suggestions from the official World Environment Day website:
- street rallies
- bicycles parades
- green concerts
- essay and poster competitions in schools
- tree planting
- recycling efforts
- clean-up campaigns
You could also check out the World Environment Day Alphabet - 80 Ways to Celebrate.
World Environment Day is an annual event that was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment.
Previous Cities
Previous Cities to host World Environment Day include:
- 2008 - Wellington, New Zealand
- 2007 - Tromsø, Norway
- 2006 - Algiers, Algeria
- 2005 - San Francisco, USA
- 2004 - Barcelona, Spain
- 2003 - Beirut, Lebanon
- 2002 - Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
- 2001 - Torino, Italy and Havana, Cuba
- 2000 - Adelaide, Australia
- 1999 - Tokyo, Japan
- 1998 - Moscow, Russian Federation
- 1997 - Seoul, Republic of Korea
- 1996 - Istanbul, Turkey
- 1995 - Pretoria, South Africa
- 1994 - London, United Kingdom
- 1993 - Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- 1992 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- 1991 - Stockolm, Sweden
- 1990 - Mexico City, Mexico
- 1989 - Brussels, Belgium
- 1988 - Bangkok, Thailand
- 1987 - Nairobi, Kenya
Previous Themes
Previous themes for World Environment Day are (including this year’s theme):
- 2008 - Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy
- 2007 – Melting Ice – A Hot Topic?
- 2006 – Deserts and Desertification – Don’t Desert Drylands!
- 2005 – Green Cities – Plan for the Planet!
- 2004 – Wanted! Seas and Oceans – Dead or Alive?
- 2003 – Water – Two Billion People are Dying for It!
- 2002 - Give Earth a Chance
- 2001 - Connect with the World Wide Web of Life
- 2000 - The Environment Millennium - Time to Act
- 1999 - Our Earth - Our Future - Just Save It!
- 1998 - For Life on Earth - Save Our Seas
- 1997 - For Life on Earth
- 1996 - Our Earth, Our Habitat, Our Home
- 1995 - We the Peoples: United for the Global Environment
- 1994 - One Earth One Family
- 1993 - Poverty and the Environment - Breaking the Vicious Circle
- 1992 - Only One Earth, Care and Share
- 1991 - Climate Change. Need for Global Partnership
- 1990 - Children and the Environment
- 1989 - Global Warming; Global Warning
- 1988 - When People Put the Environment First, Development Will Last
- 1987 - Environment and Shelter: More Than A Roof
- 1986 - A Tree for Peace
- 1985 - Youth: Population and the Environment
- 1984 - Desertification
- 1983 - Managing and Disposing Hazardous Waste: Acid Rain and Energy
- 1982 - Ten Years After Stockholm (Renewal of Environmental Concerns)
- 1981 - Ground Water; Toxic Chemicals in Human Food Chains and Environmental Economics
- 1980 - A New Challenge for the New Decade: Development Without Destruction
- 1979 - Only One Future for Our Children - Development Without Destruction
- 1978 - Development Without Destruction
- 1977 - Ozone Layer Environmental Concern; Lands Loss and Soil Degradation; Firewood
- 1976 - Water: Vital Resource for Life
- 1975 - Human Settlements
- 1974 - Only one Earth
Tags: low carbon economy, WED, World Environment Day
June 5th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
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