The host for World Environment Day, 5 June 2012, will be the Federative Republic of Brazil. The country also hosted World Environment Day celebrations back in 1992 around the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.  At the time, the summit assembled the largest ever number of global leaders to make important decisions over the well-being of the earth and on development issues.

World Environment Day 2012 commemorations are therefore not only symbolic of how big the campaign has grown but also we expect this event to be the largest and most widely celebrated ever.

With a population of more than 200 million, Brazil is the fifth most populous nation in the world after China, India, United States, and Indonesia, in that descending order. It has the fifth largest land mass on the planet, 8.5 million square kilometers, providing home to a largely Roman Catholic population.

Some of the current environmental issues being faced in the country include the illegal deforestation in the Amazon Basin, which is destroying habitat and as well as plant and animal species; wildlife illegal trading; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo; and wetlands degradation. Also of concern to the country however is the growing food insecurity.

Speaking at the COP10 Convention on Biological Diversity in October 2010, Brazil’s Minister of Environment, Izabella Teixeira, said “…over the past few years, not only has there been an absence of relevant signs of reduction of biodiversity loss but also the available indicators portray a growing deterioration of global biodiversity. Reverting this process, which in essence is a result of human activity, requires an unprecedented effort, with strong and determined responses from all global societies. Essentially, political will is required to change the patterns of the way different segments of society appropriate biodiversity resources for themselves.”

Her statement resonates with the World Environment Day theme for 2012 – Green Economy: Does it include you? The question invites everyone to both assess where the Green Economy fits in their daily lives and evaluate whether development through a Green Economy caters for individual needs.

World Environment Day this year will help to raise awareness on the serious impacts of carrying on with business as usual. Through engaging governments in action and your spreading the word on the importance of a Green Economy, this collective effort will preserve nature, while achieving growth, and encourage sustainable development.