World Environment Day (WED) is Celebrated by the United Nations on 5 June

Every year, World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated by the United Nations on 5 June for encouraging awareness and action for the protection of the environment. 

The day was celebrated for the first time in 1973. The date was selected as it was the first day of the Stockholm Conference on the human environment in 1972.

The day become an important platform for promoting progress on the environmental dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The World Environment Day theme fixed is ‘Only One Earth’. The theme was selected to call for transformative changes to policies and choices to enable cleaner, greener, and sustainable living in harmony with nature.

Every year, the celebrations and meetings of World Environment Day are hosted by a different country and this year the host country is Sweden. The host country of the day in 2021 is Pakistan. Indian country hosted the events in 2011 and 2018.

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) organizes events for this day to spread awareness and encourage action for the protection of the environment.

On this day, the Earth Anthem composed by the Indian Poet Abhay K will be sung all over the world. The anthem was launched in June 2013 by Kapil Sibal and Shashi Tharoor at a function organized by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations in New Delhi.

On this day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the ‘Save Soil Movement’ programme at Vigyan Bhawan. The programme was organized to increase awareness about deteriorating soil health and bring about a conscious response to improve the soil. 

   Important points for the exam:

• World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated by the United Nations on 5 June annually to spread awareness and action for the protection of the environment. 
• On this day in 1972, the ‘Stockholm Conference on the human environment’ concluded the importance to protect the air, land and water, on which we all depend.
• The theme fixed for the year 2022 is ‘Only One Earth’.
• The host country for the events of World Environment Day-2022 is Sweden. India hosted the events in 2011 and 2018.
• The day become an important platform for promoting progress on the environmental dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals.

   Facts to know:

• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was established in 1972.
• Headquarters of UNEP: Nairobi, Kenya.
• Earth day: 22nd April.
• The theme for Earth Day 2022: Invest In our Planet.