When Mother Earth sends us a message
Mother Earth is clearly urging a call to action. Nature is suffering. Oceans filling with plastic and turning more acidic. Extreme heat, wildfires and floods, have affected millions of people.
Climate change, man-made changes to nature as well as crimes that disrupt biodiversity, such as deforestation, land-use change, intensified agriculture and livestock production or the growing illegal wildlife trade, can accelerate the speed of destruction of the planet.
This is the third Mother Earth Day celebrated within the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Ecosystems support all life on Earth. The healthier our ecosystems are, the healthier the planet - and its people. Restoring our damaged ecosystems will help to end poverty, combat climate change and prevent mass extinction. But we will only succeed if everyone plays a part.
For this International Mother Earth Day, let's remimd ourselves - more than ever - that we need a shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet. Let’s promote harmony with nature and the Earth. Join the global movement to restore our world!
Let’s act now
There are multiple, feasible and effective options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to human-caused climate change, and they are available now, according to the last UN Climate Change report backed by science.
World Environment Situation Room
Data and Knowledge on the Environment
UN Environment offers a web gallery where you can access data classified by theme and geographical area that has been transformed into attractive multimedia material to make it more understandable for all users.
Did you know?
- The planet is losing 10 million hectares of forests every year – an area larger than Iceland.
- A healthy ecosystem helps to protect us from these diseases. Biological diversity makes it difficult for pathogens to spread rapidly.
- It is estimated that around one million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction.
Dialogues with Nature
Do you want me to tell you the truth?
It is that I have been given a name
which-does not suit me;
my name is "Nature",
and I am all art.
To commemorate this day, interactive dialogues are held annually at the United Nations. Unfortunately, they will not take place this year, but we invite you to read the Dialogue between the Philosopher Voltaire and Nature in the 18th century.
