The 5th of June in every year has been declared as the World Environment Day to mark the day of the inauguration of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) at the United Nations Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden from June 5 to 16, 1972.
Since then, for more than five decades, World Environment Day has been commemorated every year under specific themes with a view to raising public awareness on conservation of environment and drawing attention of world leaders and policy makers to the global environmental issues that arise day by day.
The United Nations Environment Program has proposed Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience as the theme for this year's World Environment Day. Accordingly, Sri Lanka celebrated World Environment Day under the national theme of “ඵලදායී භූමි පරිහරණයෙන් සුවදායී දෙරණක්”
As per the Cabinet Memorandum approved under the heading "World Environment Day Celebration Program", "National Environment Week" is declared parallel to the national celebration of World Environment Day every year. Accordingly, necessary action was taken to declare the week from 30th May to 5th June as the "National Environment Week" as follows.
May 30 - Sustainable Land Management Day
May 31 - Reduce air pollution and its negative effects
June 01 - Water and Water Resources Conservation Day
June 02 - Biodiversity Conservation Day
June 03 - Environment Cleanup Day
June 04 - Plastic Waste Management Day
June 05 - Plantation and national celebration of World Environment Day
In parallel with National Environment Week, environmental conservation programs were conducted island wide under the patronage of State Institutions, Schools, Private Sector, Plantation Companies and Plantation Sector, Non-Governmental Organizations and Civil Organizations with the participation of communities.
The National Celebration was held at the President Secretariat on June 5th, 2024 under the patronage of the Ministry of Environment and its affiliated institutions under the chairmanship of Honorable President Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, with the participation of political authorities, governmental and non-governmental organizations.
The following specific activities were conducted during the event.
- Presentation of Soba magazine by Mr. Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment to the Honorable President Ranil Wickremesinghe
- Awarded environmental medals to school environmental pioneers by the Honorable President
- Declared “Waranagalawatta” ecosystem as an Environmental Protection Area in accordance with the powers of the National Environmental Act No. 47 of 1980 providing legal protection for the long-term survival of the area.
- Launched the National Green Procurement Policy with the aim of adding a new face to the public sector by greening public procurement through a policy direction.
- Prizes awarded to the winners of the best green railway station
Best green railway station - the first place - Ella railway station
Best Green Sub railway Station -Homagama hospital road sub station
Merit awards - Upper Kotte, Trincomalee, Hatton, Ahungalla, Ukuwela
- Handover of Distributed mineral manjusa to schools
- Awarding certificates of assessment for environmentally friendly mining licensees
The national celebration of World Environment Day was held by presenting many such environmentally friendly activities for future generations.
