International Mother Earth Day 2024

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 22 April as International Mother Earth Day through a resolution adopted in 2009. The Day recognizes the Earth and its ecosystems as humanity's common home and the need to protect her to enhance people’s livelihoods, counteract climate change, and stop the collapse of biodiversity.

Climate change, man-made changes to nature as well as crimes that disrupt biodiversity, such as deforestation, land-use change, intensified agriculture and livestock production or the growing illegal wildlife trade, can accelerate the speed of destruction of the planet.

Mother Earth is clearly urging a call to action - a need to shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet. Protecting the planet is everyone's responsibility.

Further resources

• UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
• UNEP's work on Climate action
• UNEP Executive Director briefing on UNEA-6 outcomes