World leaders to sign climate agreement on Earth Day
To commemorate the 46th anniversary of Earth Day, leaders from 130 countries have gathered at the United Nations to endorse the historic climate deal agreed upon in Paris in December. After signing, the nations must officially adopt the Paris Agreement through national procedures. The treaty will come into force once 55 nations factoring at least 55 percent of global emissions have officially joined it.
Every 22 April is designated as the Earth Day. It is aimed to promote the environmental movement to approach issues like climate change, sustainability and preserving the earth for the coming generations. Earth Day serves as a day when people around the world hold awareness and fundraising events for environmental issues. Earth Day has spurred some historic legislations like the Clean Air Act.
The US Clean Air Act is a federal law devised to check air pollution on a nationwide level. It is one of the United States' first and most substantial contemporary environmental laws, and "one of the most comprehensive air quality laws in the world."
A U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson first came up with the idea for a national day focussed on the environment after the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. On April 22,1970, almost 20 million Americans took to the streets demanding a "healthy, sustainable environment". The Earth Day achieved support from all quarters: enlisting support from politicians, tycoons and labor leaders.
The 1990 Earth Day was celebrated with global zeal and over 200 million people in 141 countries participated in it. It laid the foundation for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro that emphasised on recycling efforts. It also led to President Clinton awarding Earth Day Founder Nelson the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1995)—the highest recognition given to civilians in America.
For the 46th Earth Day, the theme is Trees For The Earth where the Earth Day Network plans to plant 7.8 billion trees by 2020.
Google commemorated Earth Day with five doodles each showcasing 5 biomes from around the world. One shows a polar bear in the Tundra while in another a fox runs through the temperate broad leaf forest. The savanna biome is depicted with an elephant, trees and flowers. Another shows a tortoise in a semi-arid dessert. The last doodle shows an octopus around underwater coral reefs.
