Natural Environment Blog

In New Zealand, the Christchurch city council chopped down six trees smack bang in the middle of the city today. What makes it astonishing, is that today is both World Environment Day and Arbor Day!

The council has admitted that this was a “terrible coincidence”. The trees were being removed to make way for a controversial service lane.

Given the theme for his year’s World Environment Day (”Kick the habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy!”), this is even more of a “terrible coincidence”. Forest destruction is one of the worst causes of greenhouse gas.

And, the fact that New Zealand was also observing Arbor Day makes it almost laughable. The whole purpose of Arbor Day is to encourage individuals and groups to plant and care for trees!

And, as if that’s not enough, New Zealand was also the official host of this year’s World Environment Day…

One Christchurch resident said:

As a city that is known as the Garden City, we have that image to uphold. This makes a mockery of `let’s be aware of the environment and let’s walk or cycle to work

I imagine there will be a few red faces in the Christchurch City Council today!

Well, I’d never recommend you do this at home but…

…what better way to celebrate World Environment Day than to climb a skyscraper with your bare hands - and without a rope!

Alain Robert, 45, climbed The New York Times building in Manhattan. Robert reached the top of the 52 story building before being arrested and whisked away by police.

Robert had previously told reporters that he planned to raise awareness of global warming since this is one of the main problems for our time.

When visiting Alain Robert’s website today, you’ll see a banner ad at the top. Clicking on this ad takes you to Robert’s The Solution Is Simple website, where you can send a message to the leaders at next month’s G8 meeting in Japan.

By the way, Robert’s “Simple Solution” is as follows:

1. Stop Cutting Down Trees. Plant More Trees.
2. Make Everything Energy Efficient.
3. Only Make Clean Energy

Wow! It really is simple!

By the way, a second climber was also arrested for climbing the same building today. The cause (if any) is a little unclear at this stage, but he was wearing a “Malaria No More” tee shirt. The Malaria No More organization said they had nothing to do with him.

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