History of World Environment Day

 In the year 1972, the UN General Assembly established World Environment

Day on the first day of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment.
 Two years later, in 1974, the first World Environment Day (WED) was held
with the theme 'Only One Earth'. And then in 1987, the UN came up with an
idea for rotating the host country for the celebrations of this day.
Theme for World Environment Day 2021

 This year’s theme for WED is 'Ecosystem Restoration' ( சுற்றுச்சூழல்

அமைப்பு மறுசீரமைப்பு). Ecosystem restoration means preventing,
halting, and reversing the damage caused by human activities and finally
healing our nature.
 Every three seconds, the world loses plenty of forests, and, over the last
century, we have destroyed half of our wetlands.
 This year’s mission is to revive billions of hectares, from forests to farmlands,
and to also cover the mountains and deep water oceans.

 Today, the Earth's ecosystem has completely gone awry.

 Statistics show that 45% of the world's wildlife and 12% of plant species have
decreased/ extinction.
 Due to this the balance of nature has deteriorated.
 Therefore, in order to maintain the balance of life in the earth, it is very
important to preserve the animals, trees and plants.
 For this, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2021–30 as the
'United Nations Decade on ecological / ecosystem restoration'.
An ecosystem (சுற்றுச்சூழல் அமைப்பு) is a geographic area where plants, animals,

and other organisms, as well as weather and landscapes, work together to form a

bubble of life.

Types of Ecosystem
An ecosystem can be as small as an oasis in a desert, or as big as an ocean,
spanning thousands of miles. There are two types of ecosystem:

 Terrestrial Ecosystem
 Aquatic Ecosystem

Terrestrial Ecosystems

1. Forest Ecosystems
2. Grassland Ecosystems
3. Tundra Ecosystems
4. Desert Ecosystem

Forest Ecosystem
A forest ecosystem consists of several plants, animals and microorganisms that
live in coordination with the abiotic factors of the environment. Forests help in
maintaining the temperature of the earth and are the major carbon sink.
 Grassland Ecosystem
In a grassland ecosystem, the vegetation is dominated by grasses and herbs
Tundra Ecosystem
Tundra ecosystems are devoid of trees and are found in cold climates or where
rainfall is scarce. These are covered with snow for most of the year. The ecosystem
in the Arctic or mountain tops is tundra type.
Desert Ecosystem
Deserts are found throughout the world. These are regions with very little rainfall.
The days are hot and the nights are cold.

Aquatic Ecosystem

1. Freshwater Ecosystem
2. Marine Ecosystem

If bees disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years
left to live.
 A huge ice block has broken off from western Antarctica into the Weddell
Sea, becoming the largest iceberg in the world and earning the name A-76.
 It is the latest in a series of large ice blocks to dislodge in a region acutely
vulnerable to climate change, although scientists said in this case it appeared
to be part of a natural polar cycle.
 The iceberg, measuring around 170 kilometres (105 miles) long and 25
kilometres wide, with an area of 4,320 square kilometres is now floating in the
Weddell Sea. It is thrice the size of Delhi (1484 km 2)
 It joins previous world's largest title holder A-23A—approximately 3,880 sq km
in size—which has remained in the same area since 1986.

There are many types of projects involved in ecological/ ecosystem

restoration:
1. Erosion control 
2. Removal of non-native species and weeds 
3. The reintroduction of native species 
4. Reforestation 
5. Revegetation of disturbed areas 
6. Habitat and range improvement for targeted species etc.

Restoration can take place in many ways. For example:

 Actively planting more and more trees around you
 Get together with your friends and neighbors for a clean-up activity in
your areas
 Cleaning up your local beaches
 Save and use less water
 Buy energy-efficient appliances
 Recycle your e-waste properly