'Your Planet Needs You' – Mexico hosts World Environment Day

Read more about: events, Latin America, Mexico, United Nations, United Nations Environment Program

(UNEP) - Mexico, which accounts for around 1.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, is demonstrating its commitment to climate change on several fronts. At the crossroads of the Green Economy and one increasingly in the center of regional and global affairs, Mexico will host the international 2009 World Environment Day celebrations.

The theme chosen by the UN Environment Program (UNEP), which coordinates the day on June 5th on behalf of the UN system and the peoples of the world, will be ‘Your Planet Needs You-UNite to Combat Climate Change’.

It reflects the urgency for nations to agree on a new agreement at the crucial climate convention meeting in Copenhagen some 180 days later in the year, and the links with overcoming poverty and improved management of forests.

The news that Mexico has been chosen to host World Environment Day (WED) 2009 was announced jointly by President Felipe Calderón and Achim Steiner, UNEP’s Executive Director at a press conference in Mexico City.

The decision in part reflects the growing practical and political role of the Latin American country in the fight against climate change, including its growing participation in the carbon markets.

Mexico is also a leading partner in UNEP’s Billion Tree Campaign. The country, with the support of its President and people, has spearheaded the pledging and planting of some 25 per cent of the trees under the campaign.

UNEP has now launched a new and more ambitious phase-the Seven Billion Tree Campaign. This aims to see more than one new tree planted for every person alive by the Copenhagen meeting as one empowering symbol of the global publics’ desire for action by their political leaders on the greatest challenge for this generation.

President Calderón said:”It is great news that today the UN, through Achim Steiner, has announced that Mexico will be the international seat for World Environment Day next 5 june here in our beloved country”.

He said he hoped WED would not only be a time of reflection on the great challenges facing humanity including climate change, but an event linked with “a lot of action and committment”.

“Undoubtedly this decision further underlines Mexico’s determination to manage natural resources and deal with the most demanding challenge of the 21st century-climate change,” said President Calderón.

Mr Steiner, who is also a UN Under-Secretary General, said: “I am delighted that the President and the people of Mexico will be the hosts of WED only some 180 days before governments meet in Copenhagen before the crucial UN climate convention meeting”.

“Mexico is at the cross-roads of the Green Economy politically, physically and practically. Firstly it still has many challenges, from high air pollution in cities and dependence on fossil fuels to land degradation and the need to fight poverty. But Mexico is also emerging as one among a group of developing economies who are bringing much needed leadership to the need for a new, comprehensive and decisive climate treaty,” he said.

Mr Steiner said that in addition Mexico was seizing the opportunities of the carbon markets and had, in just four short years, become second only to Brazil in terms of wind, solar, biogas and other Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects in the region.

“Thirdly Mexico’s ambitions in terms of combating climate change under its new Special programme-ambitions that include renewable energy to using forests and other nature-based assets as carbon sinks-will send a clear message to countries in the region and the world that Mexico means to be part of the solution,” he noted.

“Finally, Mexico is set to be one of the big economies of the 21st century along with nations like China and India. Thus its ability to encourage the greening of the economy of neighboring nations-both North and South of its borders-will be significant,” he noted.

Climate Change
Mexico, which accounts for around 1.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, is demonstrating its commitment to climate change on several fronts.

Mexico was praised by Non Governmental Organizations at the recent climate convention talks in Accra, Ghana for being among a group of countries willing to build bridges between the North and the South.

UNEP is looking forward to the shortly-to-be published Special Programme on Climate Change covering 2008-2012.

It is likely to set ambitious goals for the Mexican economy from boosting the climate-friendliness of ‘hard’ infrastructure via energy efficiency and an increase in renewables to boosting the carbon management of Mexico’s ’soft’ infrastructure including its forests and soils.

About World Environment Day
World Environment Day was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. Another resolution, adopted by the General Assembly the same day, led to the creation of UNEP.

WED is commemorated each year on June 5th in a different city. It is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.

The day’s agenda is to give a human face to environmental issues; empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development; promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues; and advocate partnership which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future. World Environment Day is also a popular event with colourful activities such as street rallies, bicycle parades, green concerts, essay and poster competitions in schools, tree planting, as well as recycling and cleaning-up campaigns.

On that particular day, heads of State, Prime Ministers and Ministers of Environment deliver statements and commit themselves to care for the Earth. Pledges are made which lead to the establishment of permanent governmental structures dealing with environmental management. It also provides an opportunity to sign or ratify international environmental conventions.

Last year the main global host was New Zealand and the theme was ‘Kick the C02 Habit-Towards a Low Carbon Economy’.

View Comments

More like this:

1. Sustainable tourism a worldwide goal for the UN
2. How green is the World Cup?
3. Are you a green leader?
4. Building a Green Economy with a new online community