National Environment Week 2 - 6 June

The United Nations General Assembly designated 5 June as World Environment Day to deepen public awareness of the need to preserve and enhance the environment.

World Environment Day is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.

It aims to
• to give a human face to environmental issues
• empower people to become active participants in sustainable and equitable development
• promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues
• advocate partnership, which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future

The United Nations Environment Programe (UNEP) slogan for 2008 was
CO2, Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy

South Africa’s theme was
All Hands on Deck: Towards a Low Carbon Economy

Climate change is becoming the defining issue of our era, and as such UNEP is asking countries, companies and communities to focus on greenhouse gas emissions and how to reduce them.

During World Environment week Heads of State, Prime Ministers and Ministers of Environment pledge their commitment to establishing permanent governmental structures to deal with environmental management and economic planning. This observance also provides an opportunity to sign or ratify international environmental conventions.

World Environment Day was established by the General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. Another resolution, adopted by the General Assembly the same day, led to the establishment of the United Nations Environment Programe (UNEP).

World Environment Day is hosted every year by a different country and is commemorated with an international exposition during the week of 5 June. (World Environment Week)

This year the host city is Wellington, New Zealand. New Zealand was one of the first countries to pledge to achieve carbon neutrality, and will also focus on forest management as a tool for reducing greenhouse gases.

South Africa was the host in 1995.

On this World Environment Day, let’s really consider the state of our environment. Commit to positive, tangible actions which can make a real difference to preserving all life on earth!
Whether you are an individual, an organisation, a business or a government, there are a number of steps you can take to reduce your carbon emissions, the total of which is described as your carbon footprint. You may think you don’t know where to begin, but by reading this, you have already begun!