UNEP's official online World Environment Day celebration:
A moment of truth: special address on climate action by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres
WED, 5 JUNE 2024, 10AM EDT
On World Environment Day, UN Secretary-General Guterres will deliver a pivotal speech at the American Museum of Natural History with opening remarks by UN Special Envoy Michael R. Bloomberg and Museum President Sean M. Decatur
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres will set out some hard-hitting truths about the state of the climate, the grotesque risk leaders are running, and what companies and countries – particularly the G7 and the G20 – need to do over the next eighteen months to salvage humanity’s chances of a livable future. The Secretary-General will also share new data from the World Meteorological Organization and the Copernicus Climate Change Service. The Secretary-General will be joined by Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions and Sean M. Decatur, President of the American Museum of Natural History.
António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General
Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Ambition and Solutions
Sean M. Decatur, President of the American Museum of Natural History
Femi Oke, Independent Journalist; Co-Founder, Moderate The Panel
High-Level Host Country Celebration of World Environment Day
Wed, 5 June, 7PM SAST
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host celebrations of World Environment Day at King Abdulaziz International Conference Centre in Riyadh. As official host of the day in 2024, Saudi Arabia confirms its commitment to protect the environment, combat climate change and promote sustainable development in the kingdom and the region. H.E. Eng. Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al Fadley, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director, will address participants. The event will showcase the Kingdom’s initiatives in land restoration and rehabilitation, as well as efforts to enhance vegetation development, combat desertification, protect natural habitats and reduce carbon emissions. In addition to panel discussions, the celebration will feature interactive and theatrical performances.
Please visit the official stream to view the live event.
Kiss the Ground screening and youth-led discussion
TUE, 4 JUNE, 4:30PM EAT
A film screening of the short documentary Kiss the Ground shared a solution to climate change that is right under our feet: land restoration. The screening was followed by a discussion between Xiye Bastida (climate justice activist), Ayadi Mishra (UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration Advisory Board member), Bruno Pozzi (UNEP's Deputy Director of the Ecosystems Division), Finian Makepeace (filmmaker Kiss the Ground) and Kartik Verma (representatives from the Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP).