World Earth Day 2024: Date, Theme, History & Its Significance in Climate Change

World Earth Day is celebrated annually on 22 April. Check out its significance in preventing climate change.

World Earth Day 2024.

(Photo: iStock)

World Earth Day, also known as International Mother Earth Day is celebrated every year on 22 April. The day is dedicated to raising awareness, and promoting sustainability of the planet earth. The main goal of recognizing the Earth Day is to highlight the need to preserve and protect our planet, which is the home to different life forms. It also emphasizes the role of sustainable practices and renewable energy sources in addressing climate change and promoting a circular economy.

It is high time that we take urgent action to address the climate crisis and protect our planet. This can be done by reducing carbon emissions, investing in renewable energy sources, and increasing the efforts towards sustainable agriculture and livestock production.

Earth Day is celebrated around the world in different ways. Some of the World Earth Day activities may include events, workshops, and online campaigns to promote environmental awareness and educate people about the importance of protecting Mother Earth.

World Earth Day 2024 Date

This year, World Earth Day is celebrated on Monday, 22 April 2024.

World Earth Day 2024 Theme

The theme of Earth Day 2024 is 'Planet vs Plastics'. For Earth Day 2024 on 22 April, there is an unwavering commitment to end plastics for the sake of human and planetary health, demanding a 60% reduction in the production of ALL plastics by 2040, says earthday.org.

History and Significance of World Earth Day

The first evert Earth Day was celebrated in 1970 to raise awareness and promote action for environmental protection. The day was first proposed by Gaylord Nelson, a US Senator, and Denis Hayes, a Harvard student. The idea for Earth Day grew after the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. This oil spill raised public concerns about the environment and the need for action to protect it.

Nelson was concerned about the deteriorating environment in the United States and wanted to find a way to unite students to take action to protect nature. He therefore recruited Denis Hayes - a young activist to manage the campus teach-ins and to scale the idea of environmental conservation to a broader public.

Choosing 22 April for awareness on environment protection was a conscious decision because it is a weekday, and falls between spring break and final exams, which means students can actively participate. The Earth Day's success was evident when 20 million people across the United States came out to participate.

Earth Day expanded internationally and crossed national boundaries by 1990. The day is important because it inspires us to reframe our thoughts and realise that we are inextricably linked to nature rather than existing apart from it. It encourages people to adopt simple lifestyle adjustments to support environmental causes, and build a more sustainable future.

Earth Day 2024: Importance of Earth Day in Addressing Climate Change

Celebrating Earth Day encourages people to participate in activities that can help in addressing issues responsible for climate change and environmental crisis. One of the best ways to put an end to climate change is by actively reducing the greenhouse gas emissions. This is a fundamental key to preventing the worst effects of climate change, and will require cooperation from both governments and individuals. There are plethora of measures that should be adopted to reduce the carbon footprints on planet earth. Some of these include the following:

• Using renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power.

• Driving less with an aim to promote energy conservation and recycling.

• Investing in sustainable agriculture and forestry practices.

• Pushing governments and other authorities to adopt policies that are compatible with climate change goals. This includes legislation that targets carbon emissions, renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture.

• Supporting policies that promote energy efficiency and conservation.

Businesses can also play an important role in halting the progression of climate change by reducing their emissions and investing in green technologies. A good way for businesses to take action is to adopt a no deforestation, no peat, and no exploitation (NDPE) policy. This policy commits the company to not using deforestation, peat, or exploitation in their supply chain.

Educating people about global climate change on World Earth Day may encourage customers and suppliers to adopt policies that are against climate change. On this Earth Day, you can take action by sharing your environmental related concerns on social media. This can help to raise awareness about the climate change issues, and increase support for climate action. By taking these small steps, you can help make a difference in the fight to save the planet from climate change and its adverse effects on living beings.

(Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated by AI and published after the content was editorially modified and verified by a human based on their own judgement and expertise. The Quint does not publish AI-generated content without direct human involvement and oversight).