This Sunday June 5th is World Environment Day and, to support the UN’s International Year of Forests, this year’s theme is “Forests: Nature at your service”. Various events and activities will take place around the world to raise awareness about the key role forests play in our battle for climate change. The WED website has some great ideas for celebrating this Sunday in case you can’t find an event near you.
Some facts about forests:
· Forests cover 31% of total land area.
· Every year, 13 million hectares of forest are destroyed. That’s equal to the size of Portugal.
· The livelihoods of 1.6 billion people depend on forests.
· Forests provide a home to more than 300 million people worldwide.
· The total global trade in forest products was valued at around $379 billion in 2005.
· Forests are home to 80% of terrestrial biodiversity.
· Forests play a key role in our battle against climate change; storing carbon and sucking in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and locking it into their biomass.
“It’s not too late to transform life as we know it into a greener future where forests are at the heart of our sustainable development and green economies."
World Environment Day 2011 - website
World Environment Day 2011 - facebook page
image: Meredith Farmer
source: WED website
