The Sunday News
IT’S World Environment Day
Today, June 5, 2022, Zimbabwe joins the rest of the world in commemorating the World Environment Day. This is an environmental awareness day, run by the United Nations which is sometimes called Eco Day or Environment Day. The Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. It was first commemorated in 1974.
The aim of the Day is to raise awareness of the environment and specific environmental issues. It also urges people to become active supporters of sustainable and equitable living, to promote awareness and an understanding that communities play a central role in changing attitudes towards environmental issues.
United Nations General Assembly
The theme for 2022
The theme for 2022 is “Only One Earth-Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature’”. The theme highlights the need to live sustainably in harmony with nature by bringing transformative changes through policies and choices towards cleaner and greener lifestyles.
“Only One Earth” was the motto for the 1972 Stockholm Conference; and 50 years on, the motto holds true — this planet is our only home, whose finite resources humanity must safeguard.
This leaves mankind with the only option of transforming social and economic systems through improving our relationship with nature, understanding its value and putting that value at the heart of decision making.
This in turn gives us the hope to continue to face the triple planetary crises of climate change, nature loss and pollution with main aim of establishing the future we want.
Currently our only one Earth is facing a triple planetary emergency as follows: the climate is heating up too quickly for people and nature to adapt; habitat loss and other pressures mean an estimated 1 million species are threatened with extinction; pollution continues to poison our air, land and water.
The way out of this dilemma is to transform our economies and societies to make them inclusive, fair and more connected with nature. We must shift from harming the planet to healing it.
The Stockholm@50 Commemoration
This year’s commemoration of the World Environment Day coincides with the Stockholm+50 conference convened by the United Nations General Assembly in Stockholm, Sweden, which started on 30 May to 5 June 2022. Zimbabwe is participating at this conference with a delegation led by the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Honourable Mangaliso Ndhlovu (MP).
The event is a commemoration of 50 years since the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, widely seen as the first international meeting on the environment, also known as the Stockholm Conference.
Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Honourable Mangaliso Ndhlovu (MP).
The conference spurred the formation of environment ministries and agencies around the world, kick started a host of new global agreements to collectively protect the environment, and led to the formation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Now, 50 years after that Stockholm conference, the world faces a triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and waste, nature and biodiversity loss, as well as other planetary ills that are affecting current and future prosperity and well-being. An unhealthy planet threatens human health, prosperity, equality and peace, as well as achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Role of communities in the Conservation of the earth
Communities have a vital role to play in the protection of their immediate environment as they are on the ground most of the time. They can notice some changes in the environment as well as illegal activities that might be taking place in their areas.
If any information of this sort has been gathered, communities ought to: Educate others who might be polluting or doing injustice to the environment. Report environmental crimes. Mobilise themselves and conduct environmental programs such clean-up exercises, waste separation projects, fire guard construction among others.
Formulate environmental action plans at village, ward and district level. Support and participate in environmental programmes in their areas.
Give feedback to EMA on any environmental issue through: Our toll free: 08080028/ Our WhatsApp platform which is +263 779 565 707/ Our contact us platform on www.ema.co.zw/ Email [email protected]/ Facebook: Environmental Management Agency/ Twitter: @EMAeep/ Landline +263 8677 006 244
The support of the community is essential and critical in building a sound environment by making green choices and thus enhancing sustainable livelihoods. Community and business leaders should promote environmentally responsible lifestyles through their everyday decisions and actions
Thrust of the 2022 Commemoration
This year the thrust hinges on how communities, businesses, institutions, and civil society are living with nature exhibiting their efforts towards a greener and cleaner environment.
Various stakeholders that include individual communities, schools and institutions, can also commemorate this special event in line with this thrust on stakeholder participation in environmental programmes. All provinces and districts will commemorate this observance day in their various areas, with a thrust to create an eco-conscious society.
Send your feedback to; [email protected]. Follow us on Facebook; Environmental Management Agency and Twitter; @EMAeep or visit our website www.ema.co.zw. Alternatively, call us on: Tel 08677006244 and Toll-free 08080028; or use our WhatsApp platform 0779565707. We are ready to listen.
