World Environment Day – Check Date, History, Theme, Significance and Important Facts

When is World Environment Day Celebrated?

As a mark of respect for our natural environment, World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5 every year. The day is a call to every citizen of the planet Earth to protect and preserve it so that our offspring can also enjoy it the same way we are.

What propelled the need for this day?

A whopping 7 million people across the world die every year due to air pollution alone. A majority of these are found in the Asia-Pacific region. On 5 June, Environment Day urges people the world over to make small tweaks to their actions – avoid littering, plant trees, restrain from cutting trees, and so on. World Environment Day was first created in the year 1972 by the United Nations.

World Environment Day Theme 2023

Every year on June 5 when World Environment Day is celebrated in different parts of the world with enthusiasm and zeal, a specific theme is chosen, particular to that year. This helps drive individuals to work towards that theme, not just on that particular day, but throughout the remaining part of the year.

For instance, in 2020, “Biodiversity” was selected as the theme for International Environment Day. Similarly, in 2022, the theme was “Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature.” The World Environment Day 2023 theme has been considered as “Plastic Pollution”. The event will be hosted by Côte d’Ivoire supported by the Netherlands and will primarily focus on finding appropriate doable solutions to the problem of plastic pollution that grips the world. The campaign for the event has been chosen as #BeatPlasticPollution.

What are the other names of World Environment Day?

World Environment Day also called Eco Day or WED (World Environmental Day)

5 Facts About Environment Day

Since the creation of the World Environment Day, several countries around the world have made their significant contributions towards the primary goal of the day – preserving the environment. Here’s a snapshot of some amazing feats achieved as a result of the Global Environment Day:

1. The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit organisation run by a 22-year-old with a net worth of $30 million. The company clears the ocean of all the waste lying therein using U-shaped screens.
2. Sweden came up with innovative eco-friendly batteries that were made at the Chalmers University of Technology using upgraded aluminium.
3. Yanchi Ningxia Solar Park, the largest in China, is capable of providing up to 1 billion watts of energy.
4. Plant-based plastic is a unique step in the direction of environmental conservation, taken by a company in Indonesia. The plastic is made from agricultural leftovers such as sugarcane, corn, and more.
5. The CO2 vacuum cleaner was developed in 2016 in Switzerland. It is a giant machine that seizes all CO2 in the air that we breathe.

70%	Overuse of the world’s current resources
20270	Expected disappearance of coral reefs
90 billion tons	Per year extraction of resources from the Earth
2050	The global population is expected to surpass the available amount of food
7.8 billion	People on the Earth
$7.8 trillion	Global production of synthetic chemicals
4.1 billion	Consumers around the world
50 million tons	E-waste produced each year
5.6 billion	Expected consumers by 2030
2.12 billion tons	Waste dumped each year

How to Celebrate World Environment Day?

Here are some simple yet effective ways in which you can observe World Environment Day in your little ways:

1. Tree plantation:

They are the best means to let out all odours present inside the house and naturally purify the air that we breathe. Resolve to plant at least one tree every year on June 5.

2. Recycle all dry waste:

Don’t just dump it anywhere. Make an effort to take your bottles, cans, and containers – all biodegradable waste – to the nearest recycle bin and make your small contribution to the environment.

3. Volunteer:

It can be for any small or big event for the Environment Day but your participation can make a big difference, not to forget, making you feel good about it too.

4. Create awareness:

Hold seminars, symposiums, or just local gatherings in your community. Get people together and talk to them about the importance of protecting our environment, not just for our better future but for the future of our children.