MINSK, 22 April (BelTA) - The Earth Day proclaimed by the UN General Assembly is celebrated for the 50th time on 22 April 2020, the UN News Center informed.
The first Earth Day took place in 1970. Outraged by oil spills, smog and polluted rivers, 20 million people took to the streets, protesting what they recognized as an environmental crisis. It was the planet's largest civic event at the time and compelled governments to take concrete actions, including passing environmental laws and establishing environmental agencies. In addition to these practical outcomes, the event demonstrated just how much can be achieved when people come together and demand action.
In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution formally recognizing the day as International Mother Earth Day. On this day in 2016, the United Nations formally adopted the Paris Agreement, articulating the commitment of nations to limit global temperature rise to less than 2 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels; and to strengthen the ability of countries to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change.
While the coronavirus (COVID-19) has been spreading around the world and dominating news headlines, thoughts and attention, the need to take climate action has remained as urgent as ever. By the end of 2020, global CO2 emissions need to have dropped by 7.6% and continue to fall by 7.6% each year for us to have keep global heating under 1.5°C, according to the United Nations Environment Program's (UNEP) Emissions Gap Report 2019.
The pandemic is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of humans and the planet in the face of global scale threats. Unchecked damage to the environment must be addressed. In his response to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres noted that "Had we been further advanced in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, we could better face this challenge."
A series of activities designed to draw attention to the need to combat the climate change was planned this year on Earth Day. Due to the pandemic, all events have gone digital. Meetings, discussions and concerts dedicated to environment will be running online for 24 hours.
The UN calls on everyone to join earthday.org livestreamed discussions, events and actions. Forty-five musicians from six countries will perform live in a concert in support of the World Health Organization and the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
The United Nations urges everyone to demonstrate, like 50 years ago, solidarity, take action and send a clear message to world leaders to act on climate change.
