World Environment Day (WED) was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment.
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:
- Give a human face to environmental issues;
- Empower people to become active agents of 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 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 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.
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.”
關于地球環境日
世界環境日系由聯合國大會于1972年確立，旨在紀念斯德哥爾摩人類環境會議的召開。
世界環境日, 設立于每年6月5日，是聯合國最重要的紀念日之一，旨為提高世界人們的環保意識和增強政治上的影響力。
環境日日程包括：
從人類角度看待環境議題;
鼓勵人們在可持續和可平衡發展中成為活躍的一份子;
促進人們理解社區處于環境問題中心樞要位置;
主張伙伴關系，以保證各國及人民能享有一個更加安全繁榮的未來.
2009年世界環境日的主題是：“你的地球需要你 – 聯合國際力量，應對氣候變化”。這反映了各國在180天后舉行的關鍵氣候協商會議上共同達成新政的緊迫性，及體現了解決貧困問題和提高森林管理的內在聯系。
今年主辦國為墨西哥，它顯示了當今拉丁美洲在對抗氣候變化，以及碳交易市場中不斷上升的地位。
墨西哥同樣也是環境署“十億棵樹”項目的積極參與方。從總統到平民的支持使得這個國家承諾且種植了高達全球目標25% 的樹木。墨西哥也對其占全球的1.5%的溫室氣體排放做出應對氣候變化承諾。
墨西哥總統 Felipe Calderon表示世界環境日的慶典活動將“更進一步表達出墨西哥管理自然資源和應對21世紀最大挑戰之一——氣候變化的決心”。
(來源：UNEP 英語點津 Meggie編輯)
