Environment: What’s Up in GENeva this Week | 1-7 June 2020

World Environment Day: It’s Time for Nature

The food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink and the climate that makes our planet habitable all come from nature. Since 1974, World Environment Day has been celebrated on 5 June to engage governments, businesses, organizations and the public for the need to take positive environmental action. #WorldEnvironmentDay

This year’s theme is biodiversity. Recent events from bushfires in Brazil, the United States, and Australia to locust infestations across East Africa – and now, a global disease pandemic – demonstrate the interdependence of humans and the webs of life. Biodiversity is the foundation that supports all life on Earth and affects every aspect of our health. Our actions, including deforestation, encroachment on wildlife habitats, intensified agriculture, and acceleration of climate change, have pushed nature beyond its limit. If we continue on this path, biodiversity loss will have severe implications for humanity, including the collapse of food and health systems. #ForNature

We invite you to take part in the week-long celebration for World Environment Day and spread the message, “It’s time for nature!”

Activities in Geneva include:

Geneva Environment Dialogues special COVID-19 series #ForNature, discussing the impacts of the pandemic on the global environmental agenda
- Act #ForNature Preparatory Forum for UNEA-5 | 2 June, 9am CEST | Register
- Emerging Infectious Diseases and Healthy Ecosystems | 3 June, 9am CEST | Register
- Nature-Based Solutions Agenda | 4 June, 9 am CEST | Register
High-level Online Roundtable “It’s Time for Nature” | 5 June, 9 am CEST | Register
Ciné-ONU Online screening of the award-winning film Sharkwater Extinction by Rob Stewart, followed by a panel discussion | 5 June, 5 pm CEST | Register
WTO World Environment Day Event | Sustainable trade after COVID-19: Can we do better? | 4 June, 10am CEST
Biodiversity contest on Facebook until 5 June from the Geneva cantonal authorities
Live Quiz to test your knowledge on the environment and biodiversity | 4 June, 7.30pm, | Register
Outdoor activities such as birdwatching at Marais de Sionnet, hiking along the Rhône, cycling the Green Route, and organized nature outings with local organizations
Nature programs and documentaries for all ages such as Genève Grandeur Nature on Léman Bleu and Le Marronier cartoon series on YouTube from the Muséum d’histoire naturelle and Terre&Nature
Knowledge platforms on biodiversity to learn about the different species of flora and fauna in Switzerland

The Earth School adventure, launched on Earth Day by UNEP and TED-Ed – with the support of educators and partner organizations – to allow our youth to learn #ForNature in the run-up to World Environment Day, when not allowed to be outside, is ending this week. Join the platform to learn about the most powerful tools for protecting our planet: collective action and collaboration. These Quests will illuminate the path forward for us all to be conscious, nature-minded citizens of Earth, and invite others in our communities to join the fight to protect it. #EarthSchool

COVID-19 & the Environment

The COVID-19 pandemic is a crisis that affects everyone. As the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, said

The pandemic has exposed the fragility of our societies and economies to global shocks, such as disease or climate disruption. As we recover, we must build back better for people and for the planet.

The Secretary General keeps reminding us, that we have a framework for action – the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

Don’t miss the Geneva Environment Dialogues special COVID-19 series, discussing the impacts of the pandemic on the global environmental agenda.

Our “Latest updates on COVID-19 and the environment” page, lists relevant information, research, data and press releases on the environmental origins and impacts of the pandemic. Among the press releases and articles issued last week:

WHO Manifesto for a healthy recovery from COVID-19. WHO | 26 May 2020.
#CovidCrimeWatch – n°10 | WILDLIFE CRIME: RISE OR FALL? The Global Initiative | 27 May 2020.
What COVID-19 means for ecotourism. UNEP | 26 May 2020.
Why the wildlife trade convention failed to prevent Covid-19. Don Pinnock | Daily Maverick | 27 May 2020
‘Ban on bushmeat’ after Covid-19 but what if alternative is factory farming? John Vidal | The Guardian | 26 May 2020
Air Quality Strategy to Reduce Coronavirus infection. UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Air Pollution | 29 May 2020.
The world needs a Healthy Recovery. 350 organisations representing over 40 million health professionals and over 4,500 individual health professionals from 90 different countries, wrote to the G20 leaders calling for a #HealthyRecovery | 26 May 2020
Time to spark a COVID-19-like climate response. Vinod Thomas | The Hill | 28 May 2020.
EU green recovery package sets a marker for the world. Damian Carrington | The Guardian | 28 May 2020.
COVID-19: Four Sustainable Development Goals that help future-proof global recovery. UNEP | 26 May 2020.

Additional ‘Live’ Events

During the COVID-19 pandemic lock-down, relevant live events organized by organizations around the world, contributing to the global environmental agenda, have also been included in the newsletter.

Online events this week, include:

Virtual Ocean Dialogues 2020 (WEF) | 1-5 Jun
GGKP Webinar | Sustainability after COVID-19: Valuing nature in the post-pandemic world | 2 Jun, 15:00 CEST
Unige GEDT e-seminar | Hydropower development on the Mekong river | 3 Jun, 12:15-13:45 CEST
World Oceans Day | The Blue Economy and COVID-19 Pandemic | New challenges, recovery measures and resilience (UNCTAD) | 4 Jun 2020 15:00-17:00 CEST
GEO Indigenous COVID-19 Hackathon 2020 | 5-7 Jun CEST

See all upcoming events.

New Dates for Major Environment Negotiations

Secretariats of Multilateral Environmental Agreements have started announcing with the hosts of major upcoming negotiations new dates for the meetings initially scheduled to take place this year. Read our update!

What (Else) Should I Read Next?

Turning water from a cause of conflict into a driving force for peace and security. Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs | 28 May 2020.
‘Disaster in the making’: Industry to decide safe chemicals code. Carrie Fellner | The Sydney Morning Herald
Pervasive shifts in forest dynamics in a changing world. Nate G. McDowell et al. | Science | 29 May 2020.

Stay Tuned for Additional News

Please note that the list of events and vacancies provided in our weekly newsletter is non-exhaustive. Stay tuned and follow us also on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or visit our website regularly for additional updates.

Videos and documents of past GEN events are available online.