World Environment Day 2021 – Now Is The Time For Generation Restoration

The theme for World Environment Day 2021 is Ecosystem Restoration

World Environment Day (WED) first began in 1974 as a global platform to raise awareness of the issues affecting our planet and environment. Over the years there has been many inspiring campaigns, highlighting the need for change. The primary aim of each campaign is to raise awareness, and call to action. Now is the time to reimagine, recreate and restore our natural environments.

For 2021, World Environment Day is being celebrated on 5th June with ecosystem restoration in the spotlight. It is a campaign that raises awareness to reverse the loss and degradation of the natural world, largely caused by humans. Monumental change is needed to reduce our consumption, change our habits, increase our awareness, and shift our mindset. We have 10n years to heal the planet.

This is a call to action.

With growing momentum, we are beginning to take ownership of our impact on nature, wildlife, and plastic pollution. We must recognise that this is only the beginning. There is a long journey ahead, but together we can make a difference.

Let us raise our voice and act #GenerationRestoration

Biodiversity

Biodiversity describes the viability of life on Earth. Our planet encompasses the eight million species, from plants to the complex ecosystems that sustain them. It is essential that we understand our reliance on nature for everything. Oxygen, water, food, soil, medical research, livelihoods, industry, and so much more are vital for change.

Somehow along the way, we have separated ourselves from nature. We have forgotten that we are part of nature, and that we need it to survive; not the other way around.

With one million plant species that face extinction, there is an urgent call for change. There are many factors that largely result from human behaviours and activities. It is now time for us to unite for positive change, rethink our economic systems, their impact, and ask “how did we end up here?”.

Nature is sending us a message

Our demands have pushed nature to the absolute limit. With a population that has doubled over 50 years, it is estimated that it would take 1.6 Planet Earths to meet the demand we put on our precious resources every year.

Over the years, we have not taken care of nature and our resources. We can see the messages nature is sending us: bushfires in Brazil and Australia, and locust invasions in Africa. The most recent message is the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19. It is time to stop and reflect on the connection between biodiversity decline and our health and wellbeing.

The global response to COVID-19 has shown our ability to act quickly and with solidarity. It proves that we are able to act quickly when we think our societies are under threat. We now have an opportunity to stop and reflect on how to built a better future, with nature at the heart of everyone’s decision-making.

Learn. Share. Act.

Having been confined to our homes over the last year, many of us have discovered the full value of our environment to our wellbeing. We’ve had the opportunity to examine our consumption, travel, habits, and experience of nature. How can we embed nature into our everyday lifestyle?

Speak up and speak out for nature. Share your love of nature and interest in biodiversity with friends, family, colleagues, and anyone who will listen! Be the voice of nature. It’s time to tell the world to stand up and act #ForNature.

Use your voice to impact local and global priorities ahead of the UN Environment Assembly 2021. Join forces with local community groups to lobby for change.

To allow nature to heal, we all need to speak up for a healthier future for everyone.

Impact for Good – World Environment Day, and Everyday

• Review your diet – add more environmentally friendly foods. Think about food miles, protein sources, and meat-free meals
• Travel less – walk, cycle, and use public transport
• Rewild yourself and your home! Ensure pollinators and ground-dwelling insects can thrive; check out this great blog on encouraging bees to your garden. Create urban green spaces in backyards, balconies and community spaces.
• Let local and national government know that we want change – the public expect to see them meeting the targets they set
• Avoid single use plastics – read more about how you can reduce your plastic consumption in this blog
• Examine how to reduce food miles and support local businesses
• Take note of household products containing chemicals damaging to marine life. Swap for eco versions or have a go at making your own!
• Wherever possible, try to Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

Our world has big plans for nature and there’s going to be no stopping us! The Global initiative, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), officially starting this year on World Environment Day, sets out to restore the relationship between humans and nature. Alongside this ambitious plan, the UN Environment Programme are working tirelessly on the ambitious Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, reflecting on what has been learned from the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity 2011-2020.

We can work together to make a better future. Let’s make a future where the environment and nature is valued above all else.

Together we can make a difference

We love to hear how you are connecting with the environment; share your pictures and thoughts with our community! Tag @Babipur on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, using the #GenerationRestoration or share your pictures with the Babipur community in our Facebook group, Babipur Hangout!

Additional Resources:

World Environment Day has fantastic resources: https://www.worldenvironmentday.global

Significant reports and publications: https://www.worldenvironmentday.global/latest/reports-and-publications

Join Earth School: https://ed.ted.com/earth-school

The United Nations Act Now campaign https://www.un.org/en/actnow/

Learn about plastic pollution with Clean Seas https://www.cleanseas.org

The WWF Human Footprint https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/the-human-footprint