Earth Day

• 22 Apr 2020

Why in News

• Every year, April 22 is celebrated as Earth Day to raise public awareness about the environment and inspire people to save and protect it.
• The year 2020 marks 50 years since the start of this modern environmental movement in 1970.
• The theme of Earth Day 2020 is “Climate Action”.

Key Points

• It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network and celebrated in more than 193 countries each year.
• The idea of commemorating such a day was propounded by Gaylord Nelson, an American environmentalist and politician.
• The Earth Day also recognizes a collective responsibility, as called for in the 1992 Rio Declaration (Earth Summit), to promote harmony with nature and the Earth to achieve a just balance among the economic, social and environmental needs of present and future generations of humanity.
• The Paris Agreement was also opened for signature on 22 April 2016 – Earth Day – at UN Headquarters in New York.
• World Earth Day encourages people to take more steps for the protection of nature and to thank mother earth for the rich environment.

World Earth day 2020: Digital Celebration

• Google marked the 50^th anniversary of the Earth Day with a special interactive doodle dedicated to one of the smallest and most critical organisms - the bees.
• As people have to stay inside their homes amid Covid-19 lockdown, World Earth Day 2020 is all set to be celebrated digitally. People who plan on participating can join ’24 hours of action’.
• One can also take 22 challenges that include measuring your carbon footprint, doing a plastic audit, skype a scientist, work for the earth, zero waste for one day and consume 1 meal per day this week on a plant-based diet.

Earth Day Network

• Earth Day Network is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide.
• EDN main office is located in Washington DC, USA.

Note

• 22 March: World Water Day
• 22 April: Earth Day
• 22 May : World Biodiversity Day
• Recently the Earth Hour was observed on 28^th March, 2020. It encourages people to switch off the lights from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm as per their local time.

Source: TH