World Environment Day
June 5 marks World Environment Day, established by the UN in 1972 at the Stockholm Conference. The 2024 theme, hosted by Saudi Arabia, focuses on land restoration and resilience to drought and desertification.
The environment comprises the physical, chemical and biological elements surrounding living beings — air, water, soil, natural resources, ecosystems, biodiversity and climate. Its conservation is essential to guarantee quality of life for current and future generations, but it faces challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and soil degradation.
June 5 — origin and yearly theme
World Environment Day was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 during the UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm — the first time world leaders met to discuss environmental issues on an international scale. Each year has a specific theme; the 2024 theme, hosted by Saudi Arabia, is "accelerating land restoration and drought and desertification resilience".
- Tree planting
- Beach and river clean-ups
- Conferences and seminars
- Public awareness campaigns and nature conservation projects