World environment day: taking action for a greener future

12/05/25

Bal Raksha Bharat Blogs

38

World Environment Day should be seen as a one-of-a-kind global moment for everyone, across communities, cities, districts and nations alike, to take stock that they have a shared responsibility for safeguarding our planet. World Environment Day is celebrated on a day that calls for renewed action and global unity. Initiated by the United Nations, this day marks a flagship celebration for the entire environment ecosystem to both undertake and highlight its outreach and impact. It brings together governments, businesses, communities, and individuals onto one platform so that they can initiate action, share ideas, and reinforce their commitments to environmental stewardship.

5th June Environment Day isn’t just another date on the calendar—it is a powerful reminder that the environment connects all aspects of our lives. This is even more crucial as the environmental agenda has evolved, greatly, in its complexity and scale, going far and beyond simply ordinary household issues like pollution and wildlife protection; it now extends into a wide and growing range of challenges that are deeply inter-related: Climate change, resource depletion, biodiversity loss, and ecological inequity. It is on this day that stakeholders at the helm of these issues can measure and showcase progress, issue stronger calls to action, and draw attention to the consequences of neglect as well as the possibilities of intervention.

When is Environment Day celebrated has now become more than a factual query—it reflects a growing global awareness of the need for coordinated action.

From a policy and implementation point of view, there is an abundant amount of opportunity to be unlocked in this domain. From deforestation to plastic waste management, from frameworks for sustainable development to their funding, the entire world today is collectively involved in this mission.

This commitment to action is also being seen at the level of people. Citizen-led movements have influenced policy decisions on air quality, waste segregation, and green infrastructure. Rural communities, due to their proximity and depth of understanding of nature, are adopting agroecological practices and preserving native ecosystems. Citizen and community-led actions are forming the basis of groundwork for ecological sustainability. What we consume, how we travel, the energy we use, and the priorities we support through our time and resources – all these are crucial decisions that are making a difference, and thus are being rethought towards the goal of making them more sustainable.

Read Also: Role of NGOs in Environmental Protection

The role of people is, therefore, crucial; we, the decision-makers of today, as well as tomorrow (our youth), hold the opportunity to make a difference. This calls for embedding environmental literacy into formal and informal systems of learning so that we can understand how our lives are directly linked to the health of the planet. By knowing the direct and indirect impacts of the choices we make, we are more likely to demand accountability from ourselves and others and participate in actions to restore nature.  

These responsibilities are what World Environment Day is celebrated on—to remind us and reinforce our collective commitment.

We, as a human race, are at an inflection point. Technology is the biggest agent of change, and its role is undeniable and growing. Innovation has enabled cleaner production systems, more efficient resource use, and advanced environmental monitoring. However, the number of data centres, devices, and infrastructure is increasing, and so is the carbon footprint of the digital world. We must apply technology to answer a fundamental question: How can we exist in harmony and balance with our planet?

At the institutional level, there has been growing alignment around climate targets, biodiversity strategies, and the goal of net-zero, which is fast gaining global consensus and alignment. International agreements like the Paris Accord and the Global Biodiversity Framework offer coordinated pathways. For companies, this means that corporate responsibility has evolved to be guided by a broader ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) framework. Many companies now publish sustainability reports, conduct lifecycle assessments, and commit to decarbonisation timelines.

As a result, reforestation initiatives in degraded landscapes have begun to show visible results. Cities are integrating nature into urban design through green roofs, biodiversity corridors, and sustainable transport systems. Renewable energy adoption has increased, with wind and solar power becoming cost-competitive alternatives in many regions. Even the media’s coverage of environmental issues has come to permeate discussions on economics, health, education, and security.

5th June Environment Day continues to be the occasion for these intersections to be explored and amplified globally. Bal Raksha Bharat (Save the Children India) has increasingly engaged in climate action and environmental sustainability, recognising how climate change disproportionately affects children, especially those from vulnerable communities. They work with children and communities to enhance awareness and preparedness for climate-induced disasters such as floods, droughts, and cyclones. This includes promoting child-centered disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies, supporting early warning systems, and ensuring that children’s voices are heard in climate-resilience planning.

Child protection NGO, Bal Raksha Bharat integrates environmental awareness into school programs. This includes encouraging eco-clubs, school gardens, and awareness drives that help children understand the impact of climate change and equip them with the knowledge and tools to act as changemakers in their communities. At national and global forums, the organisation calls for governments and stakeholders to recognise children as key stakeholders in climate policy and planning. Their advocacy emphasises that climate change is not just an environmental issue but a profound child rights issue, influencing access to food, water, education, and safety.

Anikait Suri