World Environment Day takes place every year on the 5th of June. With environmental issues and sustainability increasingly the focus of agendas for change, this is an opportunity to highlight an issue that is crucial to us all. The environment supports human life on earth – these ecosystems are often fragile and frequently damaged by the way humans interact with the natural world. At MBM Omega we believe that environmental awareness is a crucial first step on the path towards a more sustainable future and that’s why we support World Environment Day – in 2021, and every year.
A tough year for the environment
In many ways, the pandemic has been problematic where the environment is concerned. While remote working and huge reductions in air travel have helped to reduce transport emissions, we have also seen big rises in problems such as the generation of plastic waste and the widespread use of disposable masks and gloves, which are not biodegradable. Plus, the focus COVID-19 has deflected attention away from the environmental agenda, which has lost momentum. However, pressing issues still remain despite the fact that the pandemic is still rolling on. For example, biodiversity loss is already costing the global economy 10% of its annual output and the United Nations Environment Program estimates that “total investment in nature of USD 8.1 trillion is required between now and 2050 – while annual investment should reach USD 536 billion annually by 2050.” There is an urgent need to finance nature-based solutions before environmental problems start impacting the way that countries deal with key issues such as education, employment and health.
World Environment Day 2021
Each year, World Environment Day has a theme and for 2021 this is Ecosystem Restoration. The day is officially hosted by Pakistan this year and marks the launch of the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration. Ecosystem restoration sounds like a great idea given the impact that humans have had on the world’s ecosystems – but how does it actually work?
- There is a fairly simple definition to work to in terms of what ecosystem restoration actually means. This is: supporting the recovery of ecosystems that have been degraded or destroyed.
- Ecosystem restoration doesn’t just apply to those systems that have been completely destroyed, it also covers the protection of ecosystems that are currently fragile, as well as those that are entirely intact.
- There are two key ways that ecosystem restoration can be especially effective. The first is to take steps to reduce the pressure on ecosystems, whether that is minimising pollution or protecting certain areas. The second is to look for proactive opportunities to restore what has been lost where ecosystems are concerned. For example, planting trees is one of the simplest and most effective methods of ecosystem restoration. It’s also worth noting that there may be big differences between what is required for urban restoration as opposed to the measures that will work in rural landscapes.
World Environment Day shines a spotlight on the necessity of taking better care of our natural world and MBM Omega supports this wholeheartedly and encourages a caring culture throughout our business, find out more on our Environmental, Social and Governance page.
