Reflections on World Environment Day 2024

The triple environmental crisis we are going through - climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution - presents an extraordinary challenge that we must work on as a society. The United Nations has defined land restoration, desertification and resilience to droughts as the themes for this year's environmental day. Our planet is our only home, a home that we must take care of and protect. But, how are we taking care of it? Data from the United Nations (UN) gives us a worrying image.

Currently, about 40% of the earth's surface suffers some degree of degradation and every second the equivalent of 4 soccer fields of healthy soil is degraded. At the same time, 11% of global CO2 emissions come from land use.

The richest 1% of the world's population emits more greenhouse gases than the poorest 50%. We are using the equivalent of 1.6 Earths to maintain our current way of life. Deforestation causes 18.12% of the world's carbon emissions, almost the total CO2 emissions of the global transport sector.

This information is a call to action. In recent years we have seen progress and commitments in the political, business and societal areas to combat, replenish and change this scenario. But reality reminds us that each of us has a role to play in protecting our planet. It is not just about big actions, corporate commitments or government policies. It is also about the small actions that each of us can take in our daily lives; reducing our consumption, recovering waste and recycling, educating ourselves and others about the importance of the environment... every small gesture and effort counts.

On this World Environment Day, I invite you to reflect on what we can do to take care of our home. Because the Earth is not only the place where we live, it is part of us, and its health is our health.