According to the United Nations, prior to the 1970s, environmental protection was not yet a priority on any national political platform. In 1972, the UN held a conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, which marked the beginning of a global awareness campaign. This new campaign would focus on the interdependence of people, other living species, and Mother Earth herself. At this conference, World Environment Day (June 5th) was established, as well as the UN Environment Programme.
20 years later, Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration of Environment and Development, and the Statement of Principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests, were adopted by more than 178 governments at the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit. This summit aimed to promote harmony and achieve a just balance of the social, economic, and environmental needs of both the present and future generations of the population. In 2009, International Mother Earth Day was established on April 22nd.
Since 2009, we as a planet, have made massive steps forward into securing a healthy environment. According to the United Nations Climate Change website, the Paris Agreement, which is a legally binding international treaty on climate change, was adopted by 196 Parties at COP 21 in Paris, on December 12, 2015 and entered into force on November 4, 2016.
The Paris Agreement’s goal is to limit global warming by lowering the global temperature by 1.5 degrees Celsius. To better frame the efforts towards the long-term goal, the Paris Agreement invites countries to formulate and submit by 2020 long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies, and by 2030, zero-carbon solutions could be competitive in sectors representing over 70% of global emissions.
The UN celebrates through the Harmony with Nature initiative, a platform for global sustainable development that celebrates annually an interactive dialogue. Topics for the event include methods for promoting a holistic approach to Harmony with Nature, and an exchange of national experiences regarding criteria and indicators to measure sustainable development.
You can celebrate by attending Earth Day Live at EarthDay.org. Topics will include climate and environmental literacy, climate restoration technologies, reforestation efforts, regenerative agriculture, and more!
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Kassidy Garland has had a great appreciation for reading and writing since she was young. She graduated from West Chester University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English & Women and Gender Studies. With a concentration in creative writing, Kassidy has 5 years of experience writing blogs, articles, and for social media. Based out of Philadelphia, Kassidy loves to write about a number of topics and looks forward to sharing her passion with those at FunTimes Magazine.
