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World Environment Day (WED) 2007 will be observed around
the world on June 5. The observance is one of the principal
vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide
awareness of the environment and focuses attention on the
political will needed to effect change.
This year's theme is Melting Ice-A Hot Topic?
in support of International Polar Year. The theme focuses
on the effects that climate change is having on polar ecosystems
and communities, and the consequences worldwide.
By the year 2050, up to 80 per cent of the Arctic will be
affected by mining, oil exploration and other man-made impacts
if the industrialization of the wilderness areas continues
at current rates. The region's rich and abundant wildlife,
especially reindeer, caribou, polar bears, wolves and brown
bears, will suffer from development, which in turn will threaten
the very existence of indigenous peoples who rely on hunting
and herding to survive.
Events organized to observe the day will 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.
Below are links to articles pertinent to this year's World
Environment Day that have appeared in past issues of the UN
Chronicle, recent UN web stories coverage as well as links
to related UN websites.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2007
- Issue 2, 2007 (coming soon - July 2007)
Global Warming/Climate Change
- Issue 2, 2006
Oil
Matters-Economic and Environmental Prospects Hinge on Global
Cooperation
By Melissa Gorelick
- Issue 1, 2006
The
Link Between Environment and Disease
By Jane Lloyd
- Issue 3, 2005
Point
of View: Meeting the Millennium Development Goals By Thinking
Out of the Box
By Joseph Roberts
Editor of Population Review, a peer review journal of
demography and population studies in the developing world.
- Issue 2, 2005
Climate
Change-Investor Summit Assesses Risks and Opportunities
By Amir A. Dossal (Executive Director of UNFI) and Mindy
S. Lubber (Director of the Investor Network on Climate Risk)
- Issue 4, 2002
Changing Climates-Climatic Changes: Extreme Weather
Is
There a Nexus With Global Climate Change
By Rajendra K. Pachauri
Director-General of the Tata Energy Research Institute (New
Delhi, India) and Chairman of IPCC
Extreme
Weather and Extremely Bad Logic!
By Patrick J. Michaels
Senior Fellow in Environmental Studies at the Cato Institute
(Washington, D.C., United States), Research Professor of
Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia and
Virginia State climatologist.
Web Stories:
16 May, 2007
Climate
Change Impact on World's Cities: "About one third of
the urban poor are environmental refugees"
By Yuwei Zhang
21 March, 2007
'Constructive
Outcome' at Climate Change Meeting
By Jonas Hagen
13 March, 2007
Business,
Environmental Protection and Poverty Reduction Come Together
By Jonas Hagen
LINKS TO RELATED RESOURCES
- United Nations Environment
Program (UNEP)
- World
Environment Day 2007 - 5 June 2007
- World Environment Day 2007 Booklet:
- Message from Mr. Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General:
- Message from Mr. Achim Steiner, Executive Director of
UNEP:
- Factsheet on Climate Change:
- Polar Facts:
- WED Alphabet - 77 Ways to Celebrate:
- Additional
Links
These stories and more can be found at UN Chronicle Online
at www.un.org/chronicle.
The UN Chronicle is not an official record; the views expressed
in individual articles do not necessarily imply official endorsement
or acceptance by the United Nations.
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