World Environment Day

In 1972, the UN General Assembly designated 5 June as World Environment Day (WED). The first celebration, under the slogan “Only One Earth” took place in 1973. In the following years, WED has developed as a platform to raise awareness on the problems facing our environment such as air pollution, plastic pollution, illegal wildlife trade, sustainable consumption, sea-level increase, and food security, among others. Furthermore, WED helps drive change in consumption patterns and in national and international environmental policy.

2022 Theme: Only One Earth

The World Environment Day 2022 global campaign #OnlyOneEarth calls for transformative changes to policies and choices to enable cleaner, greener, and sustainable living in harmony with nature. It will focus on the need to live sustainably in harmony with nature, and our possibilities for shifting to a greener lifestyle through both policies and individual choices. “Only One Earth” was the motto for the 1972 Stockholm Conference. 50 years on, the motto is as pertinent as ever – this planet is our only home, and humanity must safeguard its finite resources.

The year 2022 is a historic milestone for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the global environmental community. It marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of UNEP as an outcome of the Stockholm Conference. It also coincides with the high-level Stockholm+50 international meeting. These emblematic events serve as an opportunity for the international community to strengthen cooperation and show leadership in the transformation towards a more sustainable society.

2022 Host Country: Sweden

Each year, World Environment Day is hosted by a different country in which official celebrations take place. The host country for 2022 is Sweden. To commemorate the 1972 UN Conference on Human Environment, Sweden and Kenya, with support from UNEP and partners, are organizing a high-level international meeting – “Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity” – in Stockholm on 2 and 3 June 2022.

We are proud to host World Environment Day 2022. Sweden invites the countries of the world to participate in the celebrations and to organise activities and events. We want to highlight some of the most urgent environmental issues, as well as a number of Swedish initiatives and our role in international environmental action

Per Bolund, Swedish Minister for Environment and Climate | 23 November 2021 |  Source

Stockholm+50

Five decades after the 1972 Stockholm Conference, the Government of Sweden, with support from the Government of Kenya, will host Stockholm+50 on 2 and 3 June 2022. This international meeting will commemorate the 50 years since this major conference and its outcome documents, mostly notably the Stockholm Declaration. Stockholm+50 will serve as a contribution to accelerate action towards a more sustainable society.t, including a sustainable recovery from COVID-19 pandemic.

In three leadership dialogues, the meeting will reflect on the urgent need for actions towards a healthy planet and prosperity of all, achieving a sustainable and inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and accelerating the implementation of the environmental dimension of Sustainable Development in the context of the Decade of Action. The meeting will also reinforce the messages and the outcomes of the event to commemorate UNEP’s 50th anniversary (UNEP@50), which will have taken place in March 2022, in Nairobi.

Geneva & Stockholm+50

Geneva and its surrounding area have been active in global environmental governance for more than 50 years. In addition, important and strategic historical meetings have taken place in the region. Find out more in the history section of this website.

2022: Activities in Geneva

Celebrating the Right to a Healthy Environment

The Geneva Environment Network will celebrate World Environment Day through an event celebrating the historic resolution recognizing the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, in light of 50 years of the Stockholm Declaration. The recognition comes at a time when our planet is facing a triple planetary environmental crisis. The impact of climate change, the pollution of air, land and water, and the resulting loss of biodiversity are negatively impacting the full and effective enjoyment of all human rights and jeopardizes the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Register now to seize this important moment to celebrate such milestones, taking place on 30 June, 16.00 CEST, either in-person or online.

Events

Events by partners in Geneva as well as other activities throughout the week with the participation of various stakeholders will also be indicated in this section.

Celebrating the Right to a Healthy Environment: 50 Years of the Stockholm Declaration

30 May 2022, TBC | Hybrid Event: International Environment House II and Online | Webex

Switzerland and Geneva Environment Network

AG!R Une seconde vie pour vos habits

1 June 2022 | 14.00, 15.00 ou 16.00 CEST | Muséum d’histoire naturelle | This workshop (in French) aims to give ideas on how to reuse your own clothes in order to consume less and throw away less

AG!R Atelier d’écriture pour un futur durable

4 June 2022 | 14.00 – 16.00 CEST | Muséum d’histoire naturelle | The AG!R space offers a writing workshop (in French) to express emotions, take action and imagine new stories for a sustainable future

Facing the climate emergency: "Meetings for reflection and action": Food, responsibility and sustainability

5 June | 10.00 – 18.00 CEST | Musée d’ethnographie de Genève | A day of reflection and action looking at the question of food, and how this is crucial for the preservation of our environment

Guided tour in the nature reserve Prés-de-Villette

5 June 2022 | 9.30 – 12.00 CEST | Pro Natura | Activity with registration fee

Couleurs de la nature: de la plante au tissu

5 June 2022 | 14.00 – 17.00 CEST | Pro Natura | Activity with registration fee

Guided tours at the Botanical Gardens and Conservatory

1, 5 & 7 June 2022 & more dates | Botanical Gardens and Conservatory | Discover various plants, gardening tips and more through these thematic guided tours

Outdoor Activities

World Environment Day is the perfect occasion to explore the nature in your surroundings. Discover our suggestions below and find many more on the platform “Dans ma nature” from the Canton of Geneva. For hiking lovers, the interactive map from SwissMobile highlights national, regional and local hiking trails.

Nature Centre Pointe-à-la-bise

The Nature Centre Pointe-à-la-bise is located in the heart of a unique nature reserve on the shores of Lake Geneva. This exceptional natural area is home to a magnificent reed bed which is the home to many wild species.

Nature Centre Vallon de l'Allondon

The Nature Centre of the Allondon Valley is an open door to discover the wonders of nature, located in an exceptional site on the banks of the Allondon, a tributary of the Rhône and an important floodplain biotope. It offers various fun, educational and relaxing activities related to nature. A hiking path also follows the river.

Bioparc Genève

The wildlife park Bioparc in Bellevue is the opportunity to discover local and exotic animal species, and learn more about conservation. The park is home to 250 animals, a third of which are threatened species in the wild.

The Rhone hiking path

From Jussy to Anières, a walking route takes you through one of the most beautiful regions in the Canton of Geneva. Along the way, discover vineyards, mountain views, the lake and, of course, biodiversity with a variety of bird species.

Hike in Geneva Far West

This path will let you explore the far west of Geneva, to the westernmost region of Switzerland and to the famous border stone no.1. The path follows historic routes, with a beautiful view of the Rhone, for a quiet moment in nature.

Hike in the countryside of Geneva

From Jussy to Hermance, a walking route takes you through one of the most beautiful regions in the Canton of Geneva. Along the way, discover vineyards, mountain views, the lake and, of course, biodiversity with a variety of bird species. A part of this part (Corsier – Hermance) is wheelchair accessible.

Birdwatching in the Marais du château

The local river Seymaz is an important biodiversity hotspot following its renaturation project by the Canton, which allowed to restored 4 hectares of wetlands. The “Marais du château” (Castle Marsh) is a nature reserve managed by Pro Nature Genève and an ideal location to go birdwatching.

Biking Saturdays

Pro Vélo Genève offers guided biking tours and repair workshops on Saturdays. On 4 June, one of the organized bike tour will explore gardens around Geneva will poetic breaks to appreciate the natural world.

The Green Cycling Route

The Green Route brings you from Schaffhausen to Geneva in 7 routes, letting you discover six regional natural parks on your bicycle. Route 7 brings you from Le Sentier to Geneva, it is 68.9 km long.

Exhibitions

Tout contre la Terre

This temporary exhibition at the Museum of Natural History explores climate change and biodiversity loss through the lens of emotions. | Until June 2023

Injustice environnementale - Alternatives autochtones

This exhibition at the Museum of Ethnography in Geneva addresses climate emergency, one of the major challenges of our time. It presents the perspectives and the knowledge and know-how of indigenous peoples to face the degradation of their territories accelerated by climate change. | Until 21 August 2022

#GreenPlanet – botanical missions

This audio-visual immersion at the Botanical Conservatory and Gardens of Geneva is the opportunity to discover the the perspectives and professions from the institution’s staff

2010 – 2021

2021 | Ecosystem Restoration
Launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. A call for the protection and revival of ecosystems all around the world, for the benefit of people and nature. It aims to halt the degradation of ecosystems, and restore them to achieve global goals. Only with healthy ecosystems can we enhance people’s livelihoods, counteract climate change, and stop the collapse of biodiversity.

2020 | Time for Nature
A call to action to combat the accelerating species loss and degradation of the natural world. One million plant and animal species risk extinction, largely due to human activities. 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 in which they exist. Nature is sending us a message.

2019 | Beat Air Pollution
A call for action to combat one of the greatest environmental emerging challenges of our time. Often you can’t even see it, but air pollution is everywhere and affects your health from head to toe. With every breath, you are probably sucking in tiny particles that attack your lungs, heart and brain.

2018 | Beat Plastic Pollution
The aim was for people to strive and change their everyday lives to reduce the heavy burden of plastic pollution. People should be free from the over-reliance on single-use or disposables, as they have severe environmental consequences. In addition, we should liberate our natural places, our wildlife and our own health from plastics.

2017 | Connecting Nature to People
In the city and on land, from the poles to the equator, it encourages worldwide awareness for the protection of our environment.

2016 | Go Wild for Life
The campaign aimed to reduce and prevent the illegal trade in wildlife.

2015 | Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care.
This was the slogan picked through a voting process on social media.

2014 | International Year of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS)
The UN General Assembly aimed to highlight the development challenges and successes of the SIDS, focusing on global warming and its impact on ocean levels. The slogan was “Raise your voice not the sea level” for this year.

2013 | Think. Eat. Save.
The campaign addressed the huge annual food waste and loss. With the amount added together, it would release a large quantity of food as well as reduce carbon footprint. The theme also aimed to empower people to make informed choices about the food they eat so as to reduce the overall ecological impact due to the worldwide production of food.

2012 | The Green Economy
The campaign invited people to examine their activities and lifestyle and see how the concept of a “Green Economy” fits into it.

2011 | Forests: Nature at Your Service.
Activities were organized with clean-ups, concerts, exhibits, film festivals, community events, tree plantings and much more.

2010 | Many Species. One Planet. One Future.
Celebrating the diversity of life on Earth as part of the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity.