When Mother Earth Sends Us a Message

The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which will officially launch with World Environment Day 2021 (5 June), will help us stop, halt, and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and every ocean. But we will only succeed if everyone plays a part.

Let’s remind more than ever in this International Mother Earth Day that we need a shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet. Let’s promote harmony with nature and the Earth. Join the global movement to restore our world!

The importance of biodiversity for humans

Coronavirus outbreak poses huge public health and global economy at risk, but biological diversity as well. However, biodiversity can be part of the solution since this diversity of species would make difficult to pathogens to spread rapidly.

There is growing concern about the health consequences of biodiversity loss and change. Biodiversity changes affect ecosystem functioning and significant disruptions of ecosystems can result in life sustaining ecosystem goods and services.

Specific linkages between health and biodiversity include impact in nutrition, health research or traditional medicine, new infectious diseases and influencing shifts in the distribution of plants, pathogens, animals, and even human settlements, most of them affected by climate change.

Despite ongoing efforts, biodiversity is deteriorating worldwide at rates unprecedented in human history. It is estimated that around one million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction.

With this big picture, and the coronavirus scenario, our immediate priority is to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but in long-term, it is important to tackle habitat and biodiversity loss.

We are in this fight together with our Mother Earth.

• Harmony with Nature
• UN Climate Action
• UN Climate Change
• UN Environment programme
• Convention on Biological Diversity
• Convention to Combat Desertification
• FAO 
• UNESCO 
• WHO – Biodiversity and health

• Forests Day
• Mountain Day
• Wildlife Day
• Biodiversity Day
• Environment Day
• Water Day

First, it was ebola. Now, infectious diseases such as COVID-19 are a major concern for great ape conservation. We do not yet know whether great apes are susceptible to the SARS CoV-2 virus, but preventive measures must be taken, like limiting the tourism related to these species. Let’s fight to keep our biodiversity. 

ActNow is the United Nations’ global call to individual actions. Even a small gesture can help fight climate change and accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Download the app to follow through with your actions or use the help of our Chatbot. There are more than 2 million actions registered!