Australia

Clean Up the World media release, announcing our Members activities around the globe on World Environment Day. Please click here to read

For more information, please contact:
Lara Meredith
Senior Marketing Coordinator
Clean Up Australia Day & Clean Up the World
18 Bridge Road
Glebe NSW 2037
Ph: +61 (0)2 9692 1205 (Direct)
Fax: +61 (0)2 9552 4468
Website: http://www.cleanup.com.au

San Francisco

Earth Day Network and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) joined forces in San Francisco in June to strengthen the impact of World Environment Day – the annual UN event that supports the United Nations’ goal of increasing environmental awareness around the world. Please click here to read more

For more information, please contact:
Website:http://www.earthday.net

United Nations

The United Nations refugee agency observed World Environment Day with worldwide activities that focussed on minimizing the environmental damage caused by refugee camps.
The theme of the UN environmental day this year is Green Cities – Plan for the Planet, The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has adapted it to:Green your Camps – Improve Natural Resource Management and Plan for the Planet.
“Refugees’ impact on the environment can have an important bearing on the willingness of host states to continue to grant asylum,” Assistant High Commissioner Kamel Morjane said. “In extreme cases, the competition for natural resources can turn local communities or governments against refugees and threaten the very institution of asylum.”
To prevent this from happening, UNHCR has been running a wide range of projects in its camps worldwide to mitigate the impact of refugees on the environment, Mr. Morjane said.
For example, in eastern Chad, which hosts over 200,000 refugees from Darfur, tree seedlings are being distributed for refugees to plant. In many camps, stoves are being distributed that reduce the use of firewood. In others, clean-ups are being instituted.
To highlight such programs, UNHCR offices around the world yesterday held demonstrations of sound environmental practices, camp clean-ups, games, competitions and cultural events.

For more information, please contact:
UN News Centre
Website:http://www.un.org/news