2 February – World Wetlands Day
World Wetlands Day is celebrated annually on 2 February. The date marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in 1971.
The Committee of the Convention on Wetlands have set the following themes for the coming World Wetlands Days:
- Wetlands Action for People and Nature (2022)
- Wetland Restoration (2023)
- Wetlands and Human Wellbeing (2024)
The event was created to raise public awareness about the importance and value of wetlands.
18 March – Global Recycling Day
- To tell world leaders that recycling is simply too important not to be a global issue, and that a common approach to recycling is urgently needed;
- To ask people across the plane to think resource, not waste when it comes to the goods around us - until this happens, we simply won't award recycled goods the true value and repurpose they deserve
20 March – Spring Equinox
21 March – International Day of Forests
International Day of forests is an annual event founded by the United Nations to celebrate and raise awareness of the significance of all types of forests. The purpose of the day is to serve as a reminder of the value of forests in the lives of living creatures.
Sustainable forest management and use of resources are key to combatting climate change, and to contributing to the prosperity and well-being of current and future generations. Forests also play a crucial role in alleviating poverty and in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, despite forests playing an integral role in our lives, deforestation is rife and continues at an alarming rate.
22 March – World Water Day
World Water Day is an annual event which takes place on 22 March every year. The event was founded in 1993 by the United Nations.
The event celebrates water and raises awareness of the global water crisis. The main focus of the event is to support the observance of Sustainable Development Goal (SD) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.
This year's theme is 'Groundwater: making the invisible visible'.
Did you know:
- Groundwater provides almost half of all drinking water worldwide
- Groundwater accounts for about 40% of water for irrigated agriculture
- Around 1/3 of water supply required for industry comes from groundwater.
Groundwater is a crucial component of our environment. Despite its importance groundwater is invisible and which means there is often a lack of awareness.
22 April – Earth Day
Earth day is a global event which takes place annually. The event first took place in 1970, the event now takes place in over 193 countries with over 1 billion people participting.
Eart day promotes a number of topics crucial to our planet's environmental health, such as:
- Climate and Environmental Literacy
- Climate Change
- Conservation and Restoration
- Food and Environment
- Ending Plastic Pollution
Earn Day is a movement rather than a day of celebration, the organisation and its volunteers have planted hundreds of millions of trees, provided environmental education in 149 countries, carried out 2.7 billion 'acts of green' and much more with their legacy of action.
25 April – World Penguin Day
Penguins have seen some of the worst of the effects of climate change and other environmental factors. Polar ice caps melting, overfishing and pollution have seen declining populations of penguins and behavioural changes. As a result of this, most species of penguins are considered endangered or threatened.
World Penguin Day takes place on 25 April 2022. The day coincides with the annual northern migration of Adelie penguins, a species of penguin native to Antarctica. The intrinsic migration pattern of these penguins is conserved across generations.
The annual event celebrates and promotes awareness of penguins and their role in our ecosystem. This event encourages people to do what they can to protect penguins and promotes education and awareness of these amazing animals.
28 April – Stop Food Waste Day
Stop Food Waste Day is focused on educating and igniting change in the fight against food waste. The annual day of action was first introduced by Compass Group US, a global leader in the foodservice industry, in 2017.
Stop Food Waste Day’s values are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its main commitment is to tackle food waste, which coincides with Sustainable Development Goal #12.5, which aims to halve food waste by 2030. The group behind the event is determined to create change at all levels, working with suppliers, implementing sustainable practices and raising awareness of the issue of food waste publicly.
Did you know
- One-third of food produced globally is lost or wasted each year
- Each year 45% of root crops, fruit and vegetables is lost or wasted
- One-quarter of all food wasted each year could feed all 795 million undernourished people in the world
- 8% of all greenhouse gas emissions are caused by food loss and waste each year
14 May – World Fair Trade Day
World Fair Trade Day is an annual event which takes place on the second Saturday in May and is endorsed by the World Fair Trade Association, the global authority on Fair Trade.
The World Fair Trade Association is comprised of over 450 member organisations from 75 countries around the world.
The day helps raise awareness of the impact that Fair Trade has and helps to connect all those involved in the production of Fair Trade goods.
5 June – World Environment Day
World environment is an annual event organised by the United Nations to encourage global awareness and action to protect the environment.
“The human mind knows no boundaries. But our planet does. We have created so much. But often at the cost of nature. We can no longer continue down a path of irreversible harm to the environment. Let’s renew our resolve and our climate. Let’s strengthen our commitments and our biodiversity. Let’s rethink how we consume, revive what we destroyed and reconnect with what sustains us. Our home.”
8 June – World Oceans Day
World Oceans Day calls us all to play a part in living sustainably and stopping plastic pollution in order to save the oceans. World Oceans Day is an annual event for people all over the world to unite to celebrate and take action for our shared blue planet. The holiday is recognised by the United Nations and is powered by the World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council.
Did you know…
22million kg of plastics enters our oceans every day
Our oceans are the lungs of our planet and make up over 70% of the earth’s surface.
Oceans provide around 50% of the oxygen that we breathe.
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
International Plastic Bag Free Day is an annual event which is part of the larger Break Free From Plastic movement. The Break Free From Plastic Movement is an international initiative of individuals fighting plastic pollution to build a future free from plastic waste.
Did You Know...
On average, plastic bags are used for 25 minutes
It takes between 100 and 500 years for a plastic bag to disintegrate
80% of marine litter is plastic
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
World Nature Conservation Day takes place annually on 28 July. The event highlights the importance of maintaining a healthy environment and helping to protect, conserve, and sustainably manage the earth's natural resources.
29 July – International Tiger Day
World Tiger Day is celebrated annually on 29 July. The event aims to promote awareness of these endangered big cats. The day was founded in 2010, when the 13 tiger range countries came together in setting the Tx2 goal, this global aims to double the number of wild tigers by 2022.
20 August – World Honey Bee Day
World Honey Bee Day is an annual event which takes place takes place on the third Saturday in August. This day celebrates the honey bee and recognises the contribution honey bees make to our lives.
Honey bees play a crucial role in our everyday lives. Sadly, bees face extinction, with a quarter of known bee species not seen since the 1990s.
1 September – International Primate Day
International Primate Day is an annual event organised by Animal Defenders International (DI). This event was founded in 2005 with a focus on ending experimentation on monkeys for disease research and promoting conservation of endangered primate species.
17 September – World Cleanup Day
World Cleanup Day is an annual event which takes place on the third Saturday in September. The event initially began in 2008 in Estonia when 50,000 people united to clean up the entire country in 5 hours.
Since then, this idea has grown into a global movement with millions of volunteers getting involved. The act of cleaning bound people together and united them with the goal of cleaning our shared planet
25 September – World Rivers Day
World Rivers Day is celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of September. The event was founded in 2005 following the United Nations launching the Water For Life Decade. The event was proposed by internationally renowned river advocate, Mark Angelo. The event was established based on the success of BC Rivers Day, which was founded and led by Angelo in Western Canada since 1980.
3 October – World Habitat Day
World Habitat Day was founded by the United Nations in 1985, the annual event takes place on the first Monday of October. The event encourages reflection on the state of our habitats and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter, as well as acting as a reminder that we all have the power and responsibility to shape the future of our habitats.
21 November – World Fisheries Day
World Fisheries day is an annual event focused on the importance of maintaining the world fisheries for generations to come. The event is aimed at highlighting the role of fisheries, and the people involved in them, in our lives, as well as promoting awareness and addressing come of the problems facing global fisheries today.
Coastal and inland fisheries are vital to the livelihoods and food and nutrition of billions around the world. Globally, the sector employs 120 million people, 97% of which live in developing countries.
4 December – Wildlife Conservation Day
Wildlife Conservation Day is an annual event which raises awareness and encourages conversations about species that are endangered or under threat of extinction as a result of poaching, trafficking and other environmental factors.
Want to get involved?
Donate to conservation efforts, volunteer at local conservation centres, shop sustainably, create conversations and sign petitions to help create change on a larger scale.
5 December – World Soil Day
World Soil Day is held annually on 5 December to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to encourage sustainable management of soil resources. The theme of this year's World Soil Day campaign is "Halt soil salinization, boost soil productivity".
Soil health is crucial to crop quality and therefore necessary for food production. Soil degradation is a huge issue facing our planet. Salt-affected soils are a global concern, as these soils experience a rapid decline of health, which causes loss of capacity for biomass production, natural filtration, carbon sequestration and other necessary ecosystem functions.