Today is Earth Day. The brainchild of Ameri-can Democratic Senator Gaylord Nelson, an environmentalist of Wisconsin, Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970, but only in the United States. It was not until 20 years later in 1990 that it became an international event. It is one of the days – there are also World Environment Day, World Oceans Day, World Biodiversity Day, and International Day of Forests, among about 50 others – that are set aside to raise awareness about the issues affecting the planet. It does not say a lot about humans that we need so many reminders of the ways we have damaged and continue to damage our only home, and the actions necessary to reverse this tragedy.
Some of the usual observations on Earth Day include tree planting, removing trash from beaches and other public areas, promoting recycling, and other general activities aimed at res-toring and protecting the planet, many of which could still be done even in today’s socially distancing COVID era.
However, this year’s celebration has been made that much more significant because US President Joe Biden has pulled together a virtual summit involving some 40 world leaders. It is expected that during today’s summit calls will be made for more definitive action by countries ahead of the rescheduled UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), which the UK will host in Glasgow, Scotland from November 1 – 12.
It has now been six years since the Paris Agreement was signed and parties had agreed to review it every five years as well as submit new targets. COVID-19 had forced the postponement of last year’s event, but on the flip side, it has also brought about a reduction in carbon emissions owing to the fact that it practically forced much of the world to stop travelling for a significant period. While that was deemed temporary and not enough to write home about, it proved that cutting emissions is very doable.
President Biden, having released a new 2030 climate target for the US, will also need to demonstrate leadership among his peers. This is important because the US has been sullied in this area by its previous president, a climate change denier, who did all he could to undermine the actions of his predecessor President Barack Obama including withdrawing the country from the Paris Agreement.
It is disheartening that the actions necessary to basically preserve the planet have become mired in politics to the extent that leaders could very well be disinclined to participate. It would be easy to become cynical about restoring the planet in the face of this state of affairs, and no doubt there are many among us who have reached that point.
This is one of the reasons that young people have been forced to take leadership in this area. Greta Thunberg was just 15 years old when she began her one-person ‘school strike for climate’ protest in front of the Swedish parliament building in 2018. Since then, Ms Thunberg and Alexandria Villaseñor of Earth Uprising, along with other young climate justice activists, who had previously taken similar action, have inspired millions of their peers around the globe to join in doing their part to ensure that governments hear and understand what is required of them. The now famous Extinction Rebellion, also founded that same year, involves adults whose goals include restoring the world to the healthiest most resilient state possible so that it can be enjoyed by generations to come. It does this through peaceful civil disobedience.
Climate activists also believe that targeting the littlest among us would reap numerous benefits in the future and are encouraging the addition of environmental education from as early as kindergarten. While parents can do this with their preschoolers as well, a structured class with as much importance as English and Math that teaches very young children to care for the environment could only be a win-win. Once they grasp the basics at a young age, children will grow up to be more responsible adults who do not have to be taught not to litter for example.
This year’s Earth Day theme ‘Restore Our Planet’ is certainly poignant, considering the coronavirus pandemic, and recent wildfires and hurricanes. Events organised to mark it, like last year’s, are largely virtual as we have all learned that it is possible to make ourselves heard even when we cannot be seen. By the end of today, many will know whether their governments have listened and whether the so-far vague hope will concretise into something we can stand behind.