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World Environment Day

World Environment Day is not just a calendar date; it is a global movement toward a greener, healthier, and more sustainable future. This day, signifies the importance of preserving, maintaining, and enhancing our environment. Humans and the environment are connected bilaterally,  if one is harmed, the other is certain to suffer as well. The environment contributes significantly to the development of humans and other animals residing on Earth. This year, UNEP organized the program in the Republic of Azerbaijan, with the main celebrations held in its capital city, Baku, under the theme “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future.“

Why was June 5 chosen to celebrate World Environment Day?

During this day, 54 years ago, in 1972 AD, the UN held a conference also known as the Stockholm conference specifically for the discussion of the rising environmental issues, which led to the establishment of World Environment Day. It was first celebrated on June 5, 1974 AD.

Some Major Events taken for the Environment:

The Stockholm Conference

The Stockholm conference was the first-ever UN conference that included the environment in its title (United Nations Conference on the Human Environment), highlighting a major step taken for the environment. This conference gave birth to  UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme).  UNEP is the official organizer who coordinate World Environment Day campaigns each year, picking the host country and the specific focus theme.

The Earth Summit

Held in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, exactly 20 years after the Stockholm Conference, it became a major movement where things got highly organized. This summit was successful in bringing world leaders together to create major frameworks on climate change, sustainable development, and biodiversity conservation. The ‘Earth Summit’ determined that sustainable development was a reachable objective for everyone globally, irrespective of their local, national, regional, or international context.

Agenda 21

Agenda 21 is an action plan originated by the UN to create a platform for promoting global Sustainable development (development that meets the current needs without compromising the needs for future generations). This plan was created at the Earth Summit. The number 21  refers to the 21st century. In the Earth Summit, the world leaders realized that the environmental and economic strategies used during the 1900s (the 20^th century) were no longer sustainable. So,  they created a brand new blueprint to guide human development for the 21^st century. The main focus areas were in the given fields:

• Social & Economic Dimensions
• Conservation & Resource Management
• Strengthening & Role of Major Groups
• Means of Implementation

To this day, its core fundamentals are being followed, but the actual framework has been upgraded and replaced by Agenda 2030.

The Kyoto protocol (1997)

The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty that legally binds industrialized nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It was the first major agreement able to hold nations accountable for climate action. This protocol covered 37 industrialized nations and the European Union, who were bound to reduce their emissions to 5% below their 1990 levels during the commitment period of 2008 to 2012.

Why Saving Nature is the Only Way to Save Tourism

Environment and Tourism are interlinked with each other. The tourism sector entirely relies on the natural beauty of landscapes, the Himalayas, rivers, cultures, and many more. In the context of Nepal, Tourism is a heavily relied-upon sector providing job opportunities and creating a dazzling identity in the world. A few points that call out the major effects on our environment, hampering the tourism sector, are:

Threat to the Himalayas

Global Warming is rapidly threatening Nepal’s ecosystem. The temperatures are rising faster than the global average. This has led to the thinning of different glaciers, such as Everest’s South Col Glacier, which is thinning by nearly 2 m annually. The Kongma La Pass trail is facing closure due to glacier retreat. By 2100, Nepal could lose 75% of its Himalayan ice.

Similarly, Khumbu icefall, a major highlight of the EBC (Everest Base Camp) is also getting affected. The ice is receding at roughly 30 m per year and losing up to 50 m in thickness. This change affects many factors such as the Everest Marathon is also conducted through this region, the trekkers also trek through this region. This increase in temperature results in rockfalls, avalanches, and the collapse of ice.

Trail destruction:

Damaging the environment is equivalent to destroying the trail. The trail destruction is one of the fastest growing environmental threats in tourism. Every small piece of plastic left behind, every unchecked campfire are some factors leaving the trails at risk. So, every trekker must follow the ethics strictly. Some examples can be seen in the EBC (Everest Base Camp) trail, Annapurna Circuit, Langtang Valley trail, and many more.

Unpredictable weather

Environmental pollution has contributed to unpredictable weather in the Himalayan region. As we know, the weather in the Himalayan region has always been very unpredictable, and this environmental pollution acts as a catalyst, increasing the degree of variability in weather patterns. This results in the cancellation of flights, treks, and ascents to higher altitudes.

Damage to Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites

Environmental pollution and climate changes have been damaging the heritage sites resulting in the reduction of appeal towards the tourists. The air pollution causes corrosion of the monuments which highlights the cultural value of the locals. Climate change causes soil erosion, landscapes which damage natural heritages. Then these attractions lose their unique beauty and attraction.

Nepal has an abundance of opportunities for the ecotourism industry. Nepal Mountain Trekkers helps you guide through these trails without damaging them and explaining the ethics for trekkers. They help to organize your treks to EBC, Annapurna Circuit, Langtang valley trek and others without damaging the environment and making your journey safe. They are rooted to promote ecotourism. The experienced guide will not only help you guide you through the trails but will also make your every step memorable.