“Many Species. One Planet. One Future.” was the theme for World Environment Day 2010. A day celebrated by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) every year on 5th June. It was the day that United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm Conference) began. The conference was from 5th-16th June 1972. It was the UN’s first major seminar on international environmental issues. This event marked a turning point in evolving a political awareness about the environment. 5th June 1973 was the first World Environmental day (WED) celebrated.
Annually on this very day an event, organised by UNEP, is hosted in a different city with a different theme. This year’s global host was Kigali, Rwanda. Rwanda is an African republic nation which has earned an immense respect for its environmental protection measures. It is regarded as a country of exceptional biodiversity, which makes it the most suitable host for this year’s WED, as UNEP is celebrating year 2010 as International Year of Biodiversity. Apart from this around the world many independent events are organised on this particular day for rising awareness about the environment.
World Environment Day is surely an educational affair for the particular city which hosts this event. A similar and much more popular event is Earth Day. It is celebrated every year worldwide on April 22nd. There are many more such events which are organised now and then throughout the year to develop and change the thinking of cosmopolitans towards the environment.
Apart from all these events the main objective still looks far from reach. Despite the efforts put by environmental activists for almost forty years, the effects of environmental ignorance are still out there. We are on the verge of seeing the catastrophic consequences of Global Warming. These events, like WED or Earth Day, are not motivating the industry to develop pollution-free technologies. Even if the governments have supported with the financial benefits for those who had worked for the betterment of environment, the world would have been much better place. Even if the awareness is created among the general public for environment, they have to use the same products which will result in pollution. Our environment will not be protected without the availability of cheap eco-friendly products. So, an event like World Environment Day is not more than a fun camp. These events are not going to mark a long lasting mark. We need considerably enhanced efforts.
Hey very good article….. especially i like the point that these events are not helping in generating awareness about environment. Have Fun