April 22 is World Earth Day

As every year for 51 years, April 22 is Earth Day across the world.

This day is used to fight for the preservation of the planet, while raising awareness among citizens. Today is the participatory day dedicated to the environment. Hundreds of millions of people celebrate it in most countries of the world.

The celebration was different this year, following constraints related to containment and curfew. Most of the organized activities were virtual. The main television channels offered programs related to the planet or its preservation. The radio stations organized special programs.

When was World Earth Day born?

The United States is the first to celebrate Earth Day on April 22, 1970. The founder is US Senator Gaylord Nelson. He encourages students to set up environmental awareness projects in their communities. Earth Day commemorates the founding of the environmental movement. Gaylord Nelson organized, 51 years ago, a major demonstration for the environment and to demand its inclusion in US federal policies. As a result of this, several founding laws were born. Among them are those on the protection of air, water and endangered species, as well as the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Today, more than a billion people celebrate Earth Day in 193 countries.

Various national and international activities promote biodiversity. They show how to protect nature, plants, animals and the environment as a whole. Some encourage people to buy greener products, reduce waste, recycle and reuse. Earth Day Network, the organization behind the earth movement, works with over 22,000 partners around the world.

First ecosystem assessment

Unesco published the first Millennium Ecosystem Assessment on March 30, 2005. This report showed the catastrophic impact of man on ecosystems. It unveiled the consequences of the growing demand for food, fresh water, wood, fiber and energy in recent years. Since then, we have witnessed a deterioration in human well-being in the next few years.

The United Nations adopted this date since 1971. It became a world event in 1990, when France took part in it. Other events were added such as the Terrz Summit in Rio in 1992, then the Kyoto or COP 21 conferences. This is how Earth Day, renamed « International Mother Earth Day », has become the main environmental event on the planet. In 2016, Earth Day took place on the same day as the signing of the Paris Agreement on climate change, resulting from the COP 21.

What must be done to protect the Earth?

Simple everyday actions can save the planet. For example, it is necessary to favor « short circuits » by consuming local and seasonal products to avoid pollutant emissions and waste. Sorting its waste must become a habit of consumers. In addition, bringing back your expired or unused medicines to your pharmacist can transform them into energy. It is also necessary to learn the right gestures and change habits such as the following:

• turn off the light when leaving a room
• use public transport, bike, carpool or walk
• turn off the water while brushing or shaving
• rent rather than buy, which ultimately results in less waste
• adopt a hen! She can indeed peck up to 150 kilos per year of food waste and provide fresh eggs every morning.
• Respect biodiversity
• Sort waste

International Mother Earth Day 2021

The theme of this 51st edition is: “Let’s restore our earth!” On the program: natural processes, emerging green technologies and innovations to restore the planet’s ecosystems. Over a billion people around the world participate in the day’s activities each year, making it the largest civic event in the world.

The protection of animals is one of the most important points this year. Indeed, they are often the victims of pollution and human errors. The population must be made aware of ocean pollution and waste management. In France, several large cities (Paris, Bordeaux, Marseille, Strasbourg or Reims) have organized virtual or outdoor activities. These include garden tours, plantations, garbage collections, spring cleanings or conferences. The topics covered were waste management, renewable energies, deforestation or the evolution of environmental legislation.

Special activities organized in Paris

On the occasion of World Earth Day, 140 hairdressing salons have recovered hair. We create with filters and clean up our oceans.

The government has set up a site dedicated to « the long life of objects ». We get rid of our old furniture. Diagnostics, advice, tutorials, news, to consult before throwing away!

The artist Bordalo II transforms everything he finds in the streets and the seas to make incredible sculptures of animals.

On the forecourt of the Gare de Lyon, a photographic exhibition of the diver Alexis Rosenfeld allows you to discover the oceanic heritage and its protection. These twenty underwater photographs are part of the United Nations Decade for Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development 2021-2030.

It is also possible to watch « Demain », the first film by Cyril Dion and Mélanie Laurent produced in 2015. They are preparing a second, « Animal ». Following the health crisis, the planned grants are not honored and the authors need the public’s help to finalize their project.

Leaders Climate Summit

On April 22-23, 2021, Joe Biden hosted a virtual leaders’ climate summit. This summit highlighted the urgency and economic benefits of enhanced climate action. This is a key step ahead of COP26 to be held in Glasgow in November. Participants must agree to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and avoid the worst consequences of climate change.

Among the participants were the French President, Emmanuel Macron; the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo; Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; Charles Michel, President of the European Council. Boris Johnson and Angela Merkel were also present virtually as were Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping or Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Turkey.

Participants’ commitments

Joe Biden has announced new targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They will range from 50 to 52% of 2005 levels by 2030.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called on the international community to create a global coalition for net zero emissions by mid-century to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.

United Nations Executive Secretary for Climate Change, Patricia Espinosa, has said the global climate change emergency is a clear, present and growing danger to all people on this planet.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has reaffirmed the objective of China’s carbon neutrality by 2060. He pledges to « cooperate » on climate change with the United States (both are the main polluters of the planet).

Vladimir Putin has promised that Russia, a major producer of hydrocarbons, will reduce the cumulative volume of its net greenhouse gas emissions below that of the European Union over the next 30 years.

European positions

Emmanuel Macron welcomed the return of the USA to the Paris agreement. He called for concrete action, especially from Asian countries. His speech was however out of step with the climate and resilience bill. This bill only represents about 40% of the measures proposed by the citizens’ climate convention. However, it had the ambition to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 « in a spirit of social justice »

Angela Merkel and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa are delighted that the United States is back. They will work together in the fight against global warming.

The EU announced that it had reached an agreement at the last minute on a net reduction of « at least 55% » in its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

Future actions

Boris Johnson must defend his stepped-up plan to cut UK emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990.

In Canada, Justin Trudeau will commit to lowering them from 40% to 45% by 2030 compared to 2005, instead of 30% previously.

Brazilian Jair Bolsonaro has written to Joe Biden. He pledges to end illegal deforestation in the Amazon by 2030, despite the skepticism of observers.

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VERONIQUE YANG

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