As the world returns to normal, EarthDay.org warns, “We can’t go back to business-as-usual.”
From April 20-22, join the world’s leaders in celebrating Earth Day 2021. By working together, we can prevent the coming disasters of climate change and environmental destruction. The theme of Earth Day 2021 is Restore Our Earth.
“At the heart of Earth Day’s 2021 theme, Restore Our Earth, is optimism, a critically needed sentiment in a world ravaged by both climate change and the pandemic,” said Kathleen Rogers, EARTHDAY.ORG president. “Restoring Our Earth is about solving climate change through the world’s natural systems, such as regenerative agriculture practices and reforestation, as well as through existing and safe technologies. Restoring our planet will also require the commitment of our world’s leaders to support climate literacy and civic skill building so that we can create a global engaged and active citizenry, a green consumer movement and an economy that is just and equitable across all countries and across all demographics.”
April 20 – Global Youth Climate Summit
Earth Day 2021 begins with a global youth climate summit led by Earth Uprising, in collaboration with My Future My Voice, OneMillionOfUs and hundreds of youth climate activists.
The global youth summit will consist of panels, speeches, discussions and special messages with today’s youth climate activists including Greta Thunberg, Alexandria Villaseñor and Licypriya Kangujam.
In the evening on April 20, the Hip Hop Caucus and its partners will present the “We Shall Breathe” virtual summit. This digital event will examine climate and environmental justice, connecting the climate crisis to issues of pollution, poverty, police brutality and the pandemic, all within a racial justice framework.
April 21 – Teach for the Planet
Education International will lead the “Teach for the Planet: Global Education Summit.”
The multilingual virtual summit will span several time zones and feature prominent activists from every continent, focused on the crucial role that educators play in combating climate change and why we need transformative climate education now.
April 22 – Earth Day
To spur climate action and bring awareness to humanity’s greatest existential threat, EARTHDAY.ORG will bring together activists, educators, researchers, musicians, artists, influencers and more for its second-annual Earth Day Live: Restore Our Earth digital livestream event. Parallel to the Biden Administration’s global climate summit, the event will feature panel discussions, films and special musical performances that explore the natural processes, emerging green technologies and innovative thinking that can restore the world’s ecosystems.
Earth Day 2021 is a critical stepping stone to spur climate action worldwide. Building on the success of last year’s event, which drew over 8.5 million viewers, Earth Day Live: Restore Our Earth will be streamed live at 12PM ET on April 22 via earthday.org, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, YouTube and GEM-TV.
Additionally, TED Countdown is joining forces with EARTHDAY.ORG, creating several original TED Talks to premiere during the livestream and providing additional top-tier climate content by leaders in the space. TED will also engage with Earth Day Live: Restore Our Earth across social and digital media to further amplify the shared messages.
Participants for this year’s event includes world climate leaders, grassroots activists, nonprofit innovators, thought leaders, industry leaders, artists, musicians and influencers, including Alexandria Villasenor, Founder of Earth Uprising and Youth Climate Activist; Amita N. Vyas, PhD, MHS, Professor at George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health and Director of the Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health; Andrea Illy, chairman of illycaffè; Gabriel Quijandría, Minister of the Environment, Peru; Heba Alfarra, United Nations Environment Champion of the Earth for West Asia and Founder of Women in Energy & Environment at MENA Region; Licypriya Kangujam, 9-year-old Climate Activist & Founder of The Child Movement; Michael S. Regan, EPA Administrator; Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; Stuart Pimm, PhD, Doris Duke Professor of Conservation Ecology at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment and Founder and President of Saving Nature; and more.
For more information on Earth Day Live and Earth Day 2021, please visit: https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2021/
