Celebrating World Environment Day 2020

Background

World Environment Day (WED) is a UN Environment-led global event, observed annually on 5 June. It is celebrated by thousands of communities worldwide and is an opportunity for people to do something positive for the environment. Over the years, it has grown into a global platform for public outreach that is celebrated by stakeholders in more than 100 countries.

The theme for WED 2020 is biodiversity – a call to action to combat the accelerating species loss and degradation of the natural world. Thousands of plant and animal species risk extinction every year, largely due to human activities. WED 2020 urges us to rethink how our economic systems have evolved and the impact they have on the environment. These are issues the world cannot lose sight of even as we tackle the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing climate crisis.

Programme

ICIMOD will celebrate WED on 5 June 2020. It aims to:

• Raise awareness about environmental issues among the public
• Encourage people from different communities to actively develop environmental safety measures
• Encourage people to join the campaign and work towards a safer, cleaner, and more prosperous future

The following messages will be shared:

• Message from the Director General
• Video on COVID-19 and green recovery
• Article by ICIMOD colleagues – Biodiversity loss threatens us all

ICIMOD will also be participating in the webinar (in Nepali) on “Environment and biodiversity conservation in the context of COVID-19 and climate change”, hosted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of Nepal, from 11:00 to 13:00 on 5 June.