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..WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY .P H I L I P P I N E S P H I L I P P I N E S . WED-Phils. WED-Phils. |
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.Following the mandate of the United Nations in 2000. .......(after being initiated by the United Nations Info Center in Manila)......
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.OVERVIEW: WORLD
.WED-Phils site ...created and... .Maintained for.
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WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY -- Overview HISTORY: UN Mandate Hosts & Themes WED 2009 IN MEXICO CITY UN SEC-GEN'S MESSAGE WED HISTORY UN Mandate
World Environment Day
(WED) was established by the United Nations General Assembly through
Resolution 2994 passed on December 15, 1972.
WED is hosted every year by a different city and commemorated with
an
"Stockholm was without doubt the landmark event in the growth of international environmentalism," writes John McCormick in the book Reclaiming Paradise. "It was the first occasion on which the political, social and economic problems of the global environment were discussed at an intergovernmental forum with a view to actually taking corrective action." Commemorated yearly on 5 June, WED is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. The day's agenda is to:
Host Cities and Themes, 1987-2008
YEAR 2009 The theme for WED 2009 is 'Your Planet Needs You-UNite to Combat Climate Change'. It reflects the urgency for nations to agree on a new deal at the crucial climate convention meeting in Copenhagen some 180 days later in the year, and the links with overcoming poverty and improved management of forests. This year’s host is Mexico which reflects the growing role of the Latin American country in the fight against climate change, including its growing participation in the carbon markets.
Mexico is also a
leading partner in UNEP's Billion Tree Campaign. The country, with the
support of its President
Mexican President Felipe Calderon states that the WED celebration will “further underline Mexico's determination to manage natural resources and deal with the most demanding challenge of the 21st century – climate change.” As World Environment Day on June 5 drew closer, UNEP set an ambitious tree planting target that will not only encourage world leaders to seal a climate change deal in Copenhagen, but will also support the Billion Trees Campaign. UNEP has been appealing to everyone around the world to get planting! Whether you choose to plant one tree or thousands, we'd like you to register your tree planting pledge on the Billion Tree Campaign website. You can also let others know about your tree planting activity by registering it on the World Environment Day website. Some 3.1 billion trees have now been planted in 166 countries, and the aim now is to plant seven billion by the end of 2009. Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director said: "If we are to reach the goal of seven billion trees planted by the crucial UN climate convention meeting in December, UNEP needs your support from schools and associations to governments, businesses and individual citizens" "Make the run up to WED a tree planting time, indeed make it one today--- if half the people on the planet get out and plant just one sapling in May through to 5 June then the campaign is just a whisker away from success: a powerful statement too to world leaders and the need to Seal the climate Deal in less than 200 days time," he added. Already, the World Organisation of the Scouts Movement have pledged their participation in the global tree planting drive. Priority countries for tree planting activities by Scouts include Mexico, India, South Africa, Georgia, Lebanon, Malaysia, Hungary, Philippines, Brazil and Australia. Through this initiative the Scouts hope to plant 65,000 trees or more. Luc Panissod, the Secretary General of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, said: "World Scouting calls all young people, Scouts and non-Scouts, to engage with UNEP on the occasion of World Environment Day. Raising awareness on climate change and working towards achieving better living conditions has increased Scouting's commitment to addressing environmental issues. Youth empowerment is an integral part of World Scouting policy to invite young people to become agents of change" The UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations has also agreed to take part in the Billion Tree Campaign through its peacekeeping operations around the world. Alain Le Roy, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, said: "I encourage all staff members to participate in this initiative, which brings the United Nations family together not only for the benefit of the countries where we serve but for future generations worldwide." The World Environment Day global tree planting drive is the first in a series of mass participation events planned as part of the UN-led "Seal the Deal!" campaign in the lead-up the UN climate convention meeting in Copenhagen. As part of this campaign, UNEP is also encouraging Chinese youth to register their awareness-raising activities through Xiao Nei - a Chinese social networking site. UN SECRETARY-GENERAL'S MESSAGE - WED 2009 Secretary-Seneral Ban Ki-moon's message for World Environment Day stresses power of billions joined in common purpose through concrete individual actions. Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message for World Environment Day, to be observed on 5 June: The economic and financial turmoil sweeping the globe is a true wake-up call, sounding an alarm about the need to improve upon old patterns of growth and make a transition to a new era of greener, cleaner development. The theme of this year’s World Environment Day ‑‑ “Your planet needs you” ‑‑ is meant to inspire all of us to do our part. The Earth faces the grave threat of climate change. While all countries will suffer, the poor will bear the brunt of the impact. But we also have an opportunity to change course. Crucial climate change talks will take place in Copenhagen in December. Together, we must press Governments to “Seal the Deal” for a new climate agreement. The world also needs a “Green New Deal” focused on investing in renewable sources of energy, eco-friendly infrastructure and energy efficiency. This will not only create jobs and spur recovery but also help tackle global warming. If we invest even part of the substantial new economic stimulus packages in the green economy, we can turn today’s crisis into tomorrow’s sustainable growth. Moreover, countries that make the transition to a low-carbon society will reap more than significant environmental benefits; they will be well placed to share their new technology with others. But our planet needs more than just action by Governments and corporations; it needs each of us. Although individual decisions may seem small in the face of global threats and trends, when billions of people join forces in common purpose we can make a tremendous difference. On this World Environment Day, I encourage all people to take concrete steps towards making the planet greener and cleaner. Switch off the lights. Take public transportation. Recycle. Plant a tree. Clean up your local park. Hold corporations responsible for their environmental practices. And urge your Government representatives to seal the deal in Copenhagen.
BAN KI-MOON UN Secretary-General Department of Public Information News and Media Division • New York Secretary-General
SG/SM/12265
All environmentalists are invited to view the articles in the DEEP ECOLOGY collection of
Please click here for list of articles on Paradigm Shift no. 3. this website is supported by
(Click at logo for green articles in JRS website.)
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Give a human
face to environmental issues; 
and people, has spearheaded the pledging and
planting of some 25 per cent of the trees under the campaign. Accounting
for around 1.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the country
is demonstrating its commitment to climate change on several fronts.
