Runa Ray, a fashion designer and environmentalist, has created a special Pollinators of the Universe dress to celebrate the start of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which kicked off officially on World Environment Day on June 5.

Ray uses art as activism to educate and advocate for policy change. She has worked extensively with the Sustainable Development Goals and on various projects related to climate action with the United Nations. She is also an educational member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for Fashion and Climate Action.

The pictured dress is made of cotton muslin -- usually used by the fashion industry to create prototypes and then discarded -- and handpainted to eliminate the use of hazardous dyes and chemicals. The design is based on the logo of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration with the circles resembling the wings of pollinators.

As an innovator, Runa Ray's designs encompass the reduce, reuse and recycle model. Her grassroots organization Peace-Activism works with artists from all fields to advocate peace.

The dress will be displayed to raise awareness among industry stakeholders, governments and designers and to advocate for policy change. The dress is 100 per cent biodegradable and can be recycled into paper in the future.

“The Decade of Ecosystem Restoration is the metamorphosis that we have been looking for,” Runa Ray said. “Like the caterpillar, we have devoured our planet, but we have also come to realize that only if we give back to nature and work with nature, pause, and take note of our actions, meditate while we transform into chrysalis, that we can evolve with nature. Nature is our ally and like the butterfly that emerges out of the cocoon, so will we join the beauty of the universe with our ecosystem restored.”

The fashion industry has long faced criticism for the toll it takes on the environment: It is the second-biggest consumer of water, generating around 20 per cent of the world’s wastewater and releasing half a million tons of synthetic microfibers into the ocean annually. The average consumer buys 60 per cent more pieces of clothing than 15 years ago. Each item is only kept for half as long.

In March 2019, the UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion was launched to halt the environmentally and socially destructive practices of fashion, and instead harness the industry as a driver for improving the world’s ecosystems. The Alliance is improving collaboration among UN agencies by analyzing their efforts in making fashion sustainable, identifying solutions and gaps in their actions, and presenting these findings to governments to trigger policy.

Find out more about the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, a global rallying call to heal our planet by preventing, halting and restoring millions of hectares of ecosystem worldwide. Check out the UNEP Ecosystem Restoration Playbook, a practical guide on what we can do.

Join #GenerationRestoration and be part of the solution.

To mark World Environment Day on June 5, Argentinian journalist and writer Magela Demarco decided to give voice to the next generation with a poem featuring an angry young girl who upbraids her elders for their failure to take care of the environment and protect our fragile planet.

Illustrated by Mariana Viegas Charneca, Medio/Ambiente offers a sharp and scathing assessment of humanity’s actions and is a timely, creative addition to the global debate as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration kicks off.

In the poem, the young narrator notes that if we continue cutting down the forests, we “will have loads of paper” but wonders “what are we going to breathe?” She also asks if those who poison the land, rivers and the ocean have children of their own.

“I’m very angry at you, big people ... better start taking care of the planet and stop talking nonsense, ” she says. The poem plays with the concept of “medio ambiente”, which in Spanish means “environment” but also “half an environment”.

Young people across the world were at the forefront of celebrations for World Environment Day, which marked the official start of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, a global push to revive and restore millions of hectares of damaged ecosystems worldwide. On social media and on the ground, they raised their voices to demand that we heal the planet to tackle the triple crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

You can read more about the launch of the decade here.

For example, hundreds of young people took part in an online summit that explored some of the most pressing environmental issues facing the planet. The Virtual Youth Forum was organized by UNEP and the United Nations Department of Global Communications and featured first-hand reports from young activists who are helping to make the world a cleaner, greener place.

Read more about the forum and its inspiring participants here.

Find out what you can do to be part of the solution with UNEP’s practical guide to healing the planet and join #GenerationRestoration.

Medio / Ambiente: un poema que captura las frustraciones de una generación

Con motivo del Día Mundial del Medio Ambiente el 5 de junio, la periodista y escritora argentina Magela Demarco decidió dar voz a la próxima generación con un poema protagonizado por una niña enojada que reprende a sus mayores por no cuidar el medio ambiente y proteger nuestro frágil planeta.

Ilustrado por Mariana Viegas Charneca, Medio / Ambiente ofrece una evaluación aguda y mordaz de las acciones de la humanidad y es una adición oportuna y creativa al debate global en el inicio del Decenio de las Naciones Unidas sobre la Restauración de los Ecosistemas.

En el poema, la joven narradora apunta que si seguimos talando los bosques, “nos va a sobrar papel” pero se pregunta “¿qué vamos a respirar?”. También pregunta si los que envenenan la tierra, los ríos y el océano acaso tendrán hijos.

“Con ustedes, grandulones, estoy muy enojada... mejor empiecen a cuidar el planeta y dejen de hablar pavadas”, dice en rima la nena, para quejarse de que no le estamos dejando un ambiente entero sino, precisamente, un medio ambiente.

Los jóvenes de todo el mundo lideraron las celebraciones del Día Mundial del Medio Ambiente, que marcó el inicio oficial del Decenio de las Naciones Unidas sobre la Restauración de los Ecosistemas, un impulso global para restaurar y devolverle la vida a millones de hectáreas de ecosistemas dañados en todo el mundo. En las redes sociales y en el terreno, alzaron la voz para exigir que sanemos el planeta con el fin de abordar la triple crisis del cambio climático, la pérdida de biodiversidad y la contaminación.

Puedes leer más sobre el lanzamiento del Decenio aquí.

Por ejemplo, cientos de jóvenes participaron en una cumbre en línea que exploró algunos de los problemas ambientales más urgentes que enfrenta el planeta. El Foro Virtual de la Juventud fue organizado por el PNUMA y el Departamento de Comunicaciones de las Naciones Unidas y contó con informes de primera mano de jóvenes activistas que están ayudando a hacer del mundo un lugar más limpio y verde.

Lee más sobre el foro y sus participantes inspiradores aquí.

Descubra lo que puede hacer para ser parte de la solución con la Guía Práctica del PNUMA para sanar el planeta y únete a la #GeneraciónRestauración.

Street Art for Mankind, a non-profit that believes in the power of art to trigger social change, has unveiled an ambitious 10-year mural campaign to support the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which launched officially on June 5, World Environment Day.

The organisation, which has the support of more than 80 prominent international street artists, will curate 50 spectacular murals in major cities and five huge landmark initiatives.

“Through the universal language of art and with the help of technology, the Restoration Murals will accelerate awareness and inspire people and corporations to take action all over the world,” the group said.

The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which aims to prevent, halt and restore our degraded ecosystems, requires buy-in from everyone to succeed, and many artists and creatives have already stepped forward. Read more about its launch and global support for this critical initiative here.

Join #GenerationRestoration and find out how you can play a part in this unprecedented movement for change.

If you’re looking for inspiration to take your #GenerationRestoration game to the next level, check out these inspiring stories from UN Volunteers: committed activists working hard around the world to restore ecosystems and raise awareness of environmental issues.

For Mohamed Ahmed Hussein, 33, his role as a UN Volunteer (UNV) with UNEP in Kenya has unlocked many exciting experiences and fuelled his passion for ocean conservation.

Hussein, who has a background in marine science and management, works on coastal marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, mangroves and seagrasses. He has also worked on the blue carbon offsetting project in Gazi Bay. You can read more about that project here. 

“Having grown up in Kenya’s coastal areas, where most of our work is focused, I bring in local knowledge and represent youth in the sustainable management of coastal ecosystems. I am very proud that my supervisor and colleagues trust my knowledge and passion, and appreciate the inputs I bring to the team,” he says.

Read more about Hussein’s work here.

In Comoros, Fahamiya Abdou, who works as a UN Volunteer for the United Nations Development Programme, helps communities build resilience to climate shocks through reforestation campaigns and bushfire mitigation. She and her team also provide training on alternative income-generating activities so that families are less reliant on environmentally harmful farming practices. Read her story here.

Or travel to Namibia, where Andrea Aakre is a UN Volunteer Ocean Governance Assistant, working with UNDP. She believes environmental degradation and climate change are among the biggest challenges humanity faces.

“It is a privilege these days to be able to devote one’s time to a role that feels meaningful,” she says. Read more of her story here.

The UNV programme works with partners to integrate qualified, highly motivated and well supported UN Volunteers into development programming and promote the value of volunteerism.

Find out what it takes to join up here.

UNV also helps run the Young Environmental Journalists programme -- alongside the joint Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - UNDP Environmental Governance Programme and the UN Institute for Training and Research - - to provide learning and networking opportunities to outstanding young journalists, students and environmental defenders.

The 2020 edition focused on improving environmental and human rights protection in the mining sector in four resource-rich countries: Colombia, Kenya, Mongolia and Mozambique. The campaign offered online-based learning courses, networking activities and presentations by renowned journalists, guest speakers and experts. Read more about the project and the stories produced by the young teams here.

All these volunteers are doing their bit to ensure the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which launched formally on World Environment Day, is a success. This global push to revive and protect our ecosystems is critical to tackling the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. It’s a monumental task with a role for everyone.

Find out what you can do by checking out the dedicated website here.

Environmentalist and model Gisele Bündchen has a powerful message of hope as the world embarks on the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration, an urgent global movement to restore and revive millions of hectares of fragile and degraded ecosystems.

“Hope is everywhere. So many people are hard at work on so many different initiatives and uncovering solutions for all the challenges we face. I experienced this personally with the Agua Limpa Project in the region of Brazil where I grew up. After we reforested the riverbanks, the entire ecosystem changed for the better. The quality of the water improved, animals reinhabited the ecological corridor, and biodiversity increased. It was a testament to the incredible power of nature and a reminder that when you give nature a hand, and some help, she will reward you and thrive.”

Bündchen was speaking in an interview with ELLE magazine, where she also talked about her work as a UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, and particularly her ambition to replant thousands of trees in the Amazon region. The interview was published on World Environment Day, June 5.

Read the full interview here.

This year’s World Environment Day was a rallying call for action to save our ecosystems. Read all about the day here.

Explore this interactive to learn more about the forest ecosystems so close to Bündchen’s heart. Or take a trip through coral reefs, deserts, seas, peatlands, savannahs and mountains and see first-hand why we need to restore these precious life-support systems.

Bündchen’s action shows that everyone can play a part in making a success of the UN Decade. As she says: We are stronger when we work together for the benefit of all, and the more connected and in harmony we are with nature, the more connected we will be with ourselves.

Find out more about what you can do with UNEP’s Ecosystem Restoration Playbook, and join #GenerationRestoration to ensure that the next ten years really do make a difference.

Pictures for Purpose, a foundation raising funds and awareness for urgent causes, will hold its second auction of prints by international photographers this month to raise awareness of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, with the majority of proceeds going to Dutch NGO Justdiggit. 

The inaugural Pictures for Purpose auction took place last year, raising money for a Dutch food bank that was supporting those most affected by the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This time, the auction will run from June 7 - June 21 and will feature works by 36 international artists, ranging from established names to emerging talent. Many of the featured works embody hope, shed light on our changing environment, or spotlight the relationship between humans and the natural world.

Read the full story at the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration website

Find all the details of the auction at the Pictures for Purpose website here.

“In times like these art can fulfil a crucial role. Artists can create awareness through their work, shedding light on a variety of important causes. The medium of photography becomes an ideal tool to inspire, connect and implement change during challenging times,” Pictures for Purpose says.

Most of the proceeds from the auction will go to Justdiggit, which is working to cool the planet by regreening degraded land and bringing back vegetation.

Pictures for Purpose was set up by photography advisor and curator Isabella van Marle, creative director Kunna Haan, digital marketer Tijn Benedek and designer Raisa Kingma.

As we move forward into the UN Decade, learn more about ecosystem restoration here and join #GenerationRestoration to be part of a movement that will define our times.

We know that our climate emergency poses the biggest threat to the world’s most vulnerable populations, including children. Ecosystem restoration offers an alternative, a way to protect the planet while also creating green jobs and investing in a sustainable future.

As part of the celebrations to mark World Environment Day, host Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change and UNICEF are organising a joint event at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad.

Among those attending will be Malik Amin Aslam, Special Assistant to Pakistan’s Prime Minister on Climate Change; Dechen Tsering, UNEP’s regional director for the Asia and Pacific Office; and George Laryea-Adjei, Regional Director for UNICEF South Asia.

What: Children and Ecosystem Restoration

When:Jun 11; 7:30am - 8:30am (BST); 6.30 - 7.30 UTC; 11 - 12.30 Pakistan

Find more details here.

Follow all the events around World Environment Day on June 5 here. Watch the virtual launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration here and follow events in Pakistan on this dedicated page here. Join #GenerationRestoration here and be part of this global movement to heal our planet.

It’s a unique monument to restoration, cooperation, hope and imagination: On World Environment Day, the Hope Cathedral -- built on a barge out of wood, roots and marine plastic -- was inaugurated near Fredrikstad in Norway.

The Cathedral serves as a reminder that faith communities can play a major role in protecting vulnerable ecosystems. This sustainable art project at the mouth of the Glomma river is the product of an interfaith idea to combine sustainable and restorative practices, and nature, as an expression of faith.

Commissioned by the Church of Norway and other partners, it rises on a 120 m² barge made of timber and roots and built-in traditional fashion. The roof is made of plastic taken from the ocean while more than 1,000 fish boxes have been washed, granulated and turned into 4,000 roof tiles in more than 50 different colours.

Browse pictures and watch this video to learn more about its construction.

“We’re sending a message that we humans need healthy and unpolluted oceans for our physical, mental and spiritual well-being,” says project manager Anne Skauen. “And the only way we can achieve this is by working purposefully together across different faiths, cultures and countries. We must never give up hope that our engagement and action makes a difference.”

Humanity produces 300 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, of which about 8 million ends up in the ocean. Find out more with this interactive feature. And learn about the state of our seas ahead of World Oceans Day on June 8.

The Hope Cathedral project started in 2018 when nature lover Solveig Egeland decided to do something about the plastic waste washing up along the shoreline. Now she is CEO and artistic director of Hope Cathedral.

Read the whole story here.

UNEP supports such initiatives through Faith for Earth, which seeks to partner with faith-based organizations to achieve the objectives of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

Ecosystem restoration was the theme for this year’s World Environment Day, which also marked the formal launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

Check out UNEP’s Clean Seas campaign against marine pollution and take the Clean Seas pledge. Join the thousands of people around the world who are raising their voices #ForNature as part of the global #GenerationRestoration.

To mark World Environment Day and the launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, around 500 volunteers are carrying out a four-day clean-up of the waters and beaches at eight ports in Greece: Rafina, Lavrio, Corfu, Kefalonia, Agios Nikolaos (Crete), Chania (Crete), Kimi, and Samos.

The clean-ups were organised by Enaleia, a social start-up that collects and recycles plastic waste from the sea by working with fishermen, and the Hellenic Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy.

Enaleia was co-founded by Lefteris Arapakis, who was awarded the UN Young Champion of the Earth Europe in 2020 for his work cleaning the Mediterranean of plastic and other waste.

Watch this video to find out more

This year’s World Environment Day, which was celebrated by governments, communities, businesses and individuals around the globe, served as an urgent rallying call for action to restore and revive millions of hectares of ecosystems.

The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration aims to mobilize hundreds of millions of people and foster a global restoration culture. Ecosystem restoration is key to helping us tackle our triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, including marine plastic pollution.

During the clean-ups in Greece, divers plunged into the waters to pick up plastic waste, including car tyres and face masks, while others combed the beaches for rubbish. The clean-ups will continue until World Oceans Day, which is being celebrated on June 8.

Around 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the world’s oceans every year and by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the sea. Check out this interactive feature to see just what needs to be done.

Arapakis shows how one individual can make a difference and offer hope through action. We need to heal nature and our seas, in particular, need our help.

Check out UNEP’s Clean Seas campaign to reduce the needless use of disposable plastics and take the Clean Seas pledge.

Join #GenerationRestoration and start doing your bit #ForNature

The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH), an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), in partnership with the Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change, World Habitat Awards and UN-Habitat is organizing a virtual seminar on Ecosystems Restoration for Quality of Life to mark World Environment Day on June 5.

Protecting the environment and mitigating climate change have always been core strategic priorities for AKDN’s development agenda. The AKDN agencies are also active partners supporting Pakistan on its ambitious mission of environmental conservation and protection.

World Environment Day marked the official launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. This year Pakistan hosted World Environment Day, acknowledging the urgency of preventing, halting and reversing the degradation of ecosystems worldwide and recognizing Pakistan’s own restoration initiatives and its role in global efforts.

Speakers will include Malik Amin Aslam, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Climate Change, as well as representatives from other government departments, UN agencies, international and national donors, and others.

What: International Seminar on Ecosystem Restoration for Quality of Life

When: Jun 8; 10:00am - 12:00pm (BST); 9.00 - 11.00 UTC; 2.00 - 4.00 Islamabad

Register here.

Find out more about ecosystem restoration with UNEP’s playbook on how to heal the planet. Follow all the World Environment Day events here and become part of the solution by joining #GenerationRestoration.