World Environment Day 2024: Why Is It Celebrated On June 5?

Every year on June 5, World Environment Day is observed across the globe to reinforce and sustain awareness around environmental action. Together, we can make a difference by adopting sustainable habits, conserving resources, and promoting eco-friendly practices. Whether it's planting trees, reducing waste, or supporting renewable energy, every small step counts.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the primary agency that is behind this celebration. Through campaigns, events, and initiatives, World Environment Day inspires individuals and communities to make changes, fostering a sense of urgency and addressing environmental challenges for a sustainable future.

History of  World Environment Day

The United Nations General Assembly declared June 5 as World Environment Day during the Stockholm Conference in 1972. It was the first world conference to make environmental protection a major issue. The UNEP was established in the same year. World Environment Day was celebrated for the first time in 1973. The first World Environment Day was celebrated in 1973 under the theme 'Only One Earth'.

According to the official website of the event, people from more than 150 countries participate in this United Nations international day.

Theme of World Environment Day

This year, the theme of World Environment Day is - ''Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience.'' According to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, up to 40 per cent of the planet's land is degraded, directly affecting half of the world's population. The number and duration of droughts has increased by 29 per cent since 2000 - without urgent action, droughts may affect over three-quarters of the world's population by 2050," the United Nations official website wrote.

Drought, desertification & land degradation are a growing threat to humanity.

But it's not too late to act.

Ahead of #WorldEnvironmentDay, join @UNEP and be part of #GenerationRestoration to protect our planet and common future.

Here's how: https://t.co/ChmzsSwAzS pic.twitter.com/skg9QmCLL1

— United Nations (@UN) May 26, 2024

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the global host for World Environment Day 2024, reaffirming its commitment to protect the environment and promote sustainable development, in line with the Vision 2030 goals. India hosted the event in 2018 with the theme of 'Beat Plastic Polution'. Over 6,000 people gathered at Versova Beach in Mumbai to participate in beach clean-up.

Celebrations of World Environment Day

On World Environment Day, offices, schools, government, other organisations and local bodies hold events to raise awareness about environmental causes and involve local people to tackle plastic pollution and take action to protect the environment for healthy life.