World Environment Day 2019

On Wednesday 5 June, World Environment Day will be celebrated across the world.

The theme this year is Air Pollution - a call to action to combat one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time. 

Nine out of 10 people worldwide breathe polluted air. Air pollution is identified as the most important health issue of our time, causing 1 in 9 deaths globally and an estimated 7 million premature deaths every year. Apart from causing respiratory diseases, air pollution is a major cause of heart attacks, lung cancer and stroke in people. Air pollution also harms our natural environment, decreasing the oxygen supply in our oceans, making it harder for plants to grow and contributing to climate change. But the good news is that air pollution is preventable. Solutions are known and can be implemented. The world needs to act now.

Hosted by China, World Environment Days invites us all to consider how we can make changes in our daily lives to reduce air pollution.

Join the Mask Challenge (between now and 5 June)

From today, through to #WorldEnvironmentDay on June 5, we are calling on everyone to join the Mask Challenge.

Face masks do little to protect people from air pollution. But they are a great symbol of how much we want to breathe clean air.

Alongside celebrities, influencers and creators, the World Environment Day campaign invites everyone to help #BeatAirPollution.

Here are the three simple steps: 

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Taken the mask challenge already? Here are other ways to get involved:

• Check how well your city fares when it comes to air pollution.
• Test your knowledge on what you can do to avoid air pollution with this quick quiz.
• If you’re hosting or participating in a World Environment Day event, register it here for the world to see and receive a certificate of participation.

And if you're in Brussels, 

• Come to the Festival de l'Environnement taking place from 31 May to 2 June under the overall theme of « Sustainable generations », first at Tour & Taxis, and then on 2 June in parc du Cinquantenaire. On the menu : three days of festivities and animations around topics like climate, Good Food, Nature in the City and Zero Waste, for all ages. This event is organized by Bruxelles Environnement and we expect again over 20.000 visitors at this 20th annual edition.
• Visit on 2 June the Fête du vélo taking place alongside the Festival de l’Environnement, in the parc du Cinquantenaire, where you and your family can take part in lots of fun bike activities and animations and hear testimonies from sustainable travellers. This event is also part of the Grand Depart of the Tour de France 2019.
• On 3 June UNRIC, FAO and the European Commission are screening “The Biggest Little Farm” on the occasion of World Environment Day at 19.00 at BOZAR. 
• On 5 June, watch out for the World Environment Day messages on screens and electronic billboards of the Brussels Public Transport company STIB-MIVB, and for the World Environment Day song that will be played throughout the day in all stations.

Together we can #BeatAirPollution !