Diet Mail Diet Mail- June 2014, Summer Holidays Special | Page 2

World Environment
Day
05th June 2014

Director Speak

World Environment Day ('WED') is celebrated every

In support of the UN designation of 2014 as

year on June 5 to raise global awareness to take

the International Year of Small Island Developing

positive environmental action to protect nature

States (SIDS), WED this year will adopt SIDS in

and the planet Earth. It is run by the United Nations

the broader context of climate change as its theme.

Environment Programme (UNEP).

The objectives are to help build momentum towards

It was established by the United Nations General

the Third International Conference on SIDS in

Assembly in 1972 on the day that United Nations

September and encourage a greater understanding

Conference on the Human Environment began. The

of the importance of SIDS and of the urgency to

first World Environment Day was celebrated in 1973.

help protect the islands in the face of growing risks

Since then it is hosted every year by a different city

and vulnerabilities, particularly as a result of climate

with a different theme. World Environment Day falls in

change. WED will be an excellent opportunity to raise

spring in the Northern Hemisphere and fall in the

a call for solidarity with the islands.

Southern Hemisphere, and midsummer in the

WED 2014 is being globally hosted by Barbados,

Tropical regions.

a small Caribbean island leading the way in solar

World Environment Day (WED) is the United

energy. As one of the smallest independent states in

Nations’ principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide

the world, Barbados faces many challenges like

awareness and action for the environment. Over

climate-induced sea level rise and vulnerability to

the years it has grown to be a broad, global platform

natural disasters.

for public outreach that is widely celebrated by

overcoming these challenges through its work in

stakeholders in over 100 countries. It also serves as

transitioning to a green economy.

the ‘people’s day’ for doing something positive for

WED is the opportunity for everyone to realize not

the environment, galvanizing individual actions

only the responsibility to care for the Earth and to

into a collective power that generates an

become agents of change.

The country is steadfastly

exponential positive impact on the planet.
The 2014 theme for World Environment Day will
focus on 'Small Islands and Climate Change', the

“Planet Earth is our shared island; let us join
forces to protect it."

official slogan for the year 2014 is “Raise Your Voice
Not the Sea Level ”.
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