World Environment Day 2008 to focus on low-carbon economies

New Zealand will be the main host of the 2008 World Environment Day, which is held on 5 June every year.  Organised by the  United Nations Environment Programme  (UNEP), this year's agenda would be reduction of greenhouse gases with the slogan 'Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy,'

UNEP will focus on  promoting energy conservation programmes such as use of alternate energy sources, forest conservation, improved energy efficiency in a bid to curb the use of greenhouse gases.

Measures will involve greater energy efficiency in buildings and appliances, including light bulbs, up to a switch towards cleaner and renewable forms of electricity generation and transport systems.

The focus will also be on the role that forests play in reducing greenhouse gases. An estimated 20 per cent of emissions contributing to climate change globally are a result of deforestation.

World Environment Day was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. Another resolution, adopted by the General Assembly the same day, led to the creation of UNEP.

In October 1972, the 27th General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a resolution to accept the proposal. The establishment of the World Environment Day reflected the awareness and attitude of the world's people towards the environment and expressed mankind's aspirations and pursuit for a beautiful environment.

The UN system and world governments have held various activities on June 5 to highlight and stress the importance of protecting and improving the human environment.

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) selects a member country to host the activities to mark the Day, publishes the annual report on the current status of the environment, bestows the global 500 awards for the achievements in the field of environmental protection, and defines the annual theme of the Day according to the major environmental issues and hot topics of the year.