5th June, World Environment Day

Today, 5^th June is World Environment Day

Every single one of us can help to tackle climate change and prepare for the impacts. We all have an impact on the environment through our use of resources and burning fossil fuels for everyday activities such as driving cars and heating our homes. If we all try to make the most environmentally sustainable choices in our lives then we can make a real difference.

Consider the environmental impacts of:

The energy used in your home

The way you travel

The food you eat

This year sees the 40th anniversary of the event that led to the establishment of World Environment Day. WED, as it is often called, was established by the United Nations General Assembly to mark the start of the UN Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm from 5thto 16th June 1972. The first World Environment Day was on 5th June 1973.

World Environment Day 2012 the host is Brazil and the theme is 

Green Economy: Does it include you?

A Green Economy, according to the United Nations Environment Programme, is one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risk and ecological scarcities.This can be summed up as being a socially inclusive, low carbon economy that is efficient with its resources.

In more detail, economic growth, through income and employment, is driven by public and private investment that in addition to reducing carbon emissions and pollution, enhances energy and resource efficiency, and prevents the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. In order to support these investments a degree of targeted public expenditure, coupled with policy reforms and regulation changes is necessary.