6月5日是世界環境日。聯合國秘書長古特雷斯（António Guterres）透過影片為世界環境日致詞，重申人人可為保護唯一的家園盡一份心力，包括少用塑膠、少開車、少浪費食物，以及最重要的，激發他人多盡一份關心的力量。
1972年，聯合國大會將6月5日訂為世界環境日，是最大的全球環境行動日。今年環境日由加拿大擔任主辦國，同時也是加拿大建國150週年。
「我鼓勵所有加拿大人參加環境日活動，親近自然，再次承諾留一個更健康的環境給後代子孫。」加拿大環境與氣候變遷部長麥坎納（Catherine McKenna）致詞表示。
聯合國環境規劃署執行董事梭雷（Erik Solheim）指出，今日全球六大洲有數千人加入大規模的海灘和公園清掃活動，全球共1,600平方公里的陸地受到保護，超過30個知名地標點起綠色燈光，包括帝國大廈、里約熱內盧耶穌像和尼加拉瀑布。
聯合國紐約總部為期五天的海洋研討會恰好也在2017年環境日揭幕，是第一個討論海洋保育、永續利用海洋資源的全球高階會議，由斐濟和瑞典政府共同主辦。
2030年永續發展議程的目標14和15即聚焦保育和永續利用海洋資源，保護、重建和提倡土地生態系統的永續利用。
全世界許多國家、企業和公民團體自主提出海洋健康行動承諾，累積超過600項，預計在海洋研討會上將有更多成員加入。這些行動承諾解決各式各樣的海洋問題，包括保護珊瑚礁、加強永續漁業、減塑和減緩氣候變遷影響。
「透過加入海洋研討會的自主承諾、在合作夥伴對話中針對海洋問題提出具體解決方案、重申研討會的行動呼籲，我們要逆轉所有人類對海洋的錯誤行為。」聯合國大會主席湯普森（Peter Thomson）說。
Secretary-General António Guterres today in a video message for World Environment Day, celebrated annually on June 5.
The UN chief reaffirmed that everyone has a role to play “in protecting our only home,” including using less plastics, driving less, wasting less food and “teaching each other to care.”
In 1972, the General Assembly of the United Nations designated June 5 as World Environment Day, the largest global day for positive environmental action. This year, the main celebrations are hosted by Canada, which is also celebrating its 150th anniversary.
“I encourage all Canadians to join the celebrations, to connect with nature, and recommit to leaving a healthier environment for future generations,” said Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Erik Solheim, executive director, United Nations Environment Programme, said thousands of people across six continents are joining massive clean-ups of beaches and parks, countries are protecting 1,600 square kilometres of land, and over 30 iconic landmarks, including the Empire State Building, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, and Niagara Falls, will light up in green.
The 2017 edition of World Environment Day coincides with the opening at UN Headquarters in New York of the five-day Ocean Conference, the first high-level global meeting on conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources. The governments of Fiji and Sweden have the co-hosting responsibilities of the Conference.
The 2030 Agenda resolves “to ensure the lasting protection of the planet and its natural resources,” in particular, the Agenda’s associated Sustainable Development Goals 14 and 15 focus on respectively conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources and on protecting, restoring and promoting sustainable use of land ecosystems.
A surge in the number of voluntary commitments to take action to improve the health of the ocean by countries, businesses and civil society groups has been recorded, and more are expected as the Ocean Conference gets underway Monday, 5 June at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The commitments, now numbering over 600 and still increasing, target a wide range of ocean problems, ranging from protecting coral reefs, strengthening sustainable fisheries, reducing plastic pollution, and addressing the impacts of climate change on the ocean.
“By adding to the conference’s register of voluntary commitments; of producing practical solutions to Ocean’s problems at the Partnership Dialogues; and through the affirmation of the conference’s Call for Action, we have begun that process of reversing the
wrongs.” said Peter Thomson, President of the UN General Assembly.
※ 全文及圖片詳見：ENS
※ 本文與 行政院農業委員會 林務局 
合作刊登
作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
