On 5th June 2009, the main celebrationof the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) annual World Environment Day took place in Mexico.
The country’s President, President Calderon announced far-reaching plans to reduce Mexico’s greenhouse gas emissions and create five new protected environmental areas. He said that Mexico would reduce its emissions of global warming gases by 50 million tonnes annually.
People all around the world organized events.ranging from the massive to the local: from a major tree-planting drive across India organized by Tata Motors to a concert in Ecuador, a recycling drive in Seattle, and an ‘educational picnic’ on real grass in the heart of the gothic old town of Torun in Poland, alongside painting competitions, neighbourhood clean-ups and a multitude of awareness-raising events.
Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the UNEP, said people from over 100 countries around the world were today sending a clear signal to their politicians and world leaders that action was urgently needed—Mexico had heard and responded to that call.
“If we are to neutralize the serious threats from climate change while seizing the opportunities for a low carbon, resource efficient economy, then governments must Seal the Deal at the UN climate convention meeting in Copenhagen in just over 180 days,” he said.
“The challenge in Copenhagen is to bring over 190 countries, at different points in their development together in common cause where each understands they are gaining rather than losing by combating climate change,” said Mr Steiner.
“Some nations are indeed bringing forward creative and potentially unifying proposals that may set the world on course towards a 21st century Green Economy. Today, President Calderón underlined Mexico’s rapidly evolving leadership on climate change—its determination too to be part of the solution despite the country having no formal, legally-binding commitments under the Kyoto Protocol,” he added.
“I am convinced that this announcement is just the kind of oxygen needed over the coming weeks and months—it has certainly made WED 2009 a very special day in a very important year,” said the UNEP Executive Director who along with businessmen, scientists, ambassadors and young people was attending the celebrations in the Yucatan.
