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Wednesday 22 April 2020 11:22
Latest updates as three-day livestream brings 50th annual call for environmental reform online
Earth Day has now reached its 50th year, with millions estimated to take part in the annual day of environmental action to tackle the huge challenges facing our planet.
This year’s plans for events have been upended by the coronavirus crisis, but the movement has planned 72-hours of digital action instead to celebrate the theme of climate action. It comes after the pandemic forced the UN to postpone the COP26 international climate conference set to put countries back on track to avoid climate breakdown.
Meanwhile, the lockdowns introduced across the world have seen the skies clearing of pollution and wildlife returning to deserted streets, while US oil prices plunged below zero for the first time in history.
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The first Earth Day came about after Senator Gaylord Nelson witnessed the impact of an oil spill in Santa Barbara, California in 1969 and wanted to harness the energy of the youth-driven, anti-Vietnam War movement into environmental action.
From student ‘teach-ins’ in the Seventies, the movement now involves up to a billion people around the world demanding environmental action
The Independent takes a look back at Earth Day over half a century.
The world must “show the same determination and unity” against the accelerating problem of climate change as against coronavirus, UN experts have urged.
A report from the World Meteorological Organisation released to mark the 50th anniversary of the annual Earth Day event, confirms the past five years have been the hottest on record globally.
WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas said: “Whilst Covid-19 has caused a severe international health and economic crisis, failure to tackle climate change may threaten human wellbeing, ecosystems and economies for centuries.
“We need to flatten both the pandemic and climate change curves.”
Earth Day has now reached its 50th year, and according to the Earth Day Network (EDN) over one billion people in 192 countries are thought to have taken part in last year’s event.
The celebration marks the anniversary of the birth of the environmental movement in 1970.
Modern environmentalism is largely credited as starting with the publication of Rachel Carson’s bestselling book Silent Spring – documented the effects of the indiscriminate use of pesticides – in 1962.
This year’s plans for massive in-person events have been upended by the coronavirus pandemic but the movement has pivoted to 72-hours of digital action.
Jane Fonda, Joaquin Phoenix and Al Gore are among the stars speaking on the ongoing climate crisis, alongside leading scientists and journalists.
The theme for this year is climate action, with 2020 seen as a tipping point for action on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving the UN goal of keeping global warming below 2C.
Good morning, and welcome to The Independent’s rolling coverage of Earth Day 2020
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