2 june, Kohima (Lolano P. Khuvung) : World Environment Day, commemorated every year on 5th June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nation stimulates world wide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.
"Kick the Habit towards a Low carbon Economy" is the World Environment Day slogan for 2008, to be hosted by the city of Wellington in New Zealand. Recognizing that climate change is becoming the defining issue of our era, UNEP is asking countries, companies and communities to focus on green house gas emissions and how to reduce them. This year’s World Environment Day will highlight resources and initiatives that promote low carbon economies and life styles, such as improved energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, forest conservation and eco-friendly consumption.
The agendas to be taken up will include to give a human face to environment issues, empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development promote and understand that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environment issues and advocate partnership which will ensure all nation and people to enjoy a safer and more prosperous future.
World Environment Day which was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 can be celebrated in many ways including street rallies, bicycle parades, green concerts, essay and poster competition in schools, tree planting, recycling efforts, clean up campaigns and much more.
We continue to plunder the global environment, as unsustainable practices remain deeply embedded in the fabric of our daily lives.
Failure on our part to protect resources and ecosystems, lack of will to invest enough in alternative technologies especially for energy and failure to even keep the debate alive all leads to unpleasant t ecological problems.
Young people should come forward and become more aware and vocal about environment issues along side the civil societies and policy makers.
The imperative need in addressing the issue is to move from words to action. Programme of action for sustainable development can only succeed if they arise out of consensus.
For our benefit, we can all contribute our bit in conserving the environment by adopting simple resolutions like,
· Cut a tree, plant trees should be in our blood.
· Conserve and maintain the water resources, – water in our life.
· Avoid burning of forest – deserts will approach you very soon.
· Protect and conserve the natural resources. It is your wealth.
· Protect wildlife – they attract tourists
· Protect vegetation – they are friends of wild life.
· Do not contaminate water- save sea creatures
You can be a shining example in environmental conservation by being conscious about these simple ways to protect the environment.
On this World Environment Day, let us examine the state of our environment and consider carefully the actions to be taken by each one of us. Let us address ourselves to the common task of preserving all life on earth in a mood of sober resolution and quiet confidence. Let us take necessary steps, which will lead us into a more sustainable future, marked by improvement in our standards of living and in the health of the planet on which we all depend. Let everyday be a world environment day.