June 5th marks the World Environment Day (WED), a day dedicated to spreading awareness about protecting and preserving our planet. We celebrate this day to remind ourselves of the needs for collective action to protect our environment from pollution, global warming, and other environmental issues that threaten our planet.
This year’s theme for WED is ‘Ecosystem Restoration,’ focusing on the ways to restore our ecosystems that have been disrupted due to human activities. The UN will launch The Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) on WED, aiming to take large-scale measures to restore the environment and fight climate change.
The Need for Environmental Action
Over the years, human activities have been degrading the environment and causing harm to the planet. Industrialization, deforestation, pollution, and climate change are among the biggest challenges we face today.
According to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global warming is likely to reach 1.5 Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2030. This warming trend increases the risk of droughts, floods, sea-level rise, and heatwaves, among other things.
Thus, the need for collective action to save our planet cannot be overemphasized. We need to take immediate action to reduce the use of fossil fuels, protect our forest reserves, and prevent pollution of water bodies.
How to Celebrate World Environment Day
We can all make a difference by participating in WED activities. Here are some ways to take action on WED this year:
1. Plant Trees: Planting is one of the most effective ways to fight climate change. You can join a tree-planting event in your community or plant trees on your own. By planting trees, you help to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
2. Cleanups: The environment needs to be free of pollutants. Participate in a cleanup event organized in your community, or organize your cleaning event. You can clean up your street, park or beach, among other public spaces.
3. Reduce Your Plastic Use: Plastic pollution has been one of the most prominent environmental problems, causing harm to our oceans and marine life. You can reduce plastic usage by carrying reusable bags, water bottles, and straws.
4. Educate Yourself and Others: Get informed about our planet’s problems and learn about the solutions. You can attend a seminar, watch a documentary or read an educational book. Also, help educate others about the environment and the need to take action to protect it.
The Importance of Ecosystem Restoration
Ecosystem Restoration is the process of restoring damaged ecosystems to their natural state. It aims to increase biodiversity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help people adapt to rising temperatures and other effects of climate change. Here are the key reasons why ecosystem restoration matters:
1. Biodiversity: Ecosystem restoration helps to bring back the biodiversity that humans have destroyed. This process reintroduces native species to the ecosystem, breaking down the environmental barriers that threaten them.
2. Climate Change Mitigation: Forests play a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide from the air. The restoration of degraded lands and forests is necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change.
3. Food Security: The restoration of land and ecosystems can enhance food security, especially for vulnerable communities. Farms, fisheries, and forests are all vital resources that help people maintain a healthy and nutritious diet.
4. Disaster Resilience: Natural disasters, such as floods and landslides, can cause severe damage to the environment and the communities that depend on it. Ecosystem restoration helps to build resilience against these kinds of disasters.
Conclusion
The environment is a shared resource that we must protect and preserve for future generations. This year, WED reminds us of the critical role that ecosystem restoration plays in protecting our planet from climate change.
Join the movement today by planting trees, participating in a cleanup event, or reducing your plastic usage. You can also educate yourself and others on the importance of the environment and the need for collective action to preserve it.
Remember, small actions can make a big difference to our planet, and there’s no better day to start than World Environment Day. Let’s celebrate this day by taking action for our planet!