Exhibition, other activities lined up for World Environment Day
A series of activities, including a “What Do You Know Quiz” programme, have been lined up by the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) as it leads the commemoration of the local version of the World Environment Day today.
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The commemoration, being held in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other key stakeholders, will also involve exhibitions, tree planting exercises, public education and awareness creation on sustainable land management practices, dialogues on nature-based solutions suitable for ecosystem restoration, among others.
A statement by MESTI signed by the sector minister, Ophelia Mensah Hayford, said these were to advance efforts towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 13 and 15, restore degraded landscapes, combat desertification, build effective resilience to drought, and ensure a sustainable future for both the planet and the next generation.
The United Nations (UN) has since 1975 declared June 5 of every year as World Environment Day. This year marks the 51st anniversary of the Day, and will be hosted by Saudi Arabia, a country considered to have demonstrated pioneering efforts as part of commitments to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) in restoring degraded landscapes, combating desertification and building resilience to drought, thus advancing efforts to achieve environmental conservation and sustainability.
In March 2019, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution that declared 2021-2030 as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The celebration is to create regular public awareness and education on emerging environmental issues, serve as a global platform to accelerate, amplify and engage people, communities and governments around the world, and stimulate action on critical environmental challenges facing the planet.
The theme for this year’s celebration is: “Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience”. Ghana has adopted the national theme: “Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience — Journey to a Greener Future”, with the slogan: “Our Land, Our Future”.
Collaboration
This year’s celebration aims to emphasise the need for collaboration between governments, private sector organisations and individuals globally to increase efforts on ecosystem restoration on a mass scale to protect and restore degraded landscapes, tackle desertification and build drought resilience.
This is seen as critical for advancing efforts to achieve relevant Sustainable Development Goals, especially 13 and 15, and ensuring a sustainable future for the planet, species and the next generation.
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“Let’s, therefore, use this day as a catalyst for social change as we adopt sustainable land management practices and invest in resilient strategies to protect our planet’s existing natural resources and promote a greener, safer and better future for all,” the minister’s statement further stated.