Everyone can help protect the planet, from reducing plastic use to starting a home compost heap, highlights NASA astronaut Jessica Meir in a video released ahead of World Environment Day 2024.
In the video, Meir shares her memories of seeing Earth from space. A scientist who studied animals in extreme environments, she underscores the beauty and fragility of the natural world, calling Earth, “a precious oasis in the cosmos.” Most recently, Meir served as flight engineer on the International Space Station for Expedition 61 and 62, and participated in the first all-female spacewalks.
World Environment Day on 5 June is the biggest international day for the environment. Led by UNEP and held annually since 1973, the event has grown to be the largest global platform for environmental outreach, with millions of people from across the world engaging to protect the planet. This year, World Environment Day focuses on land restoration, desertification and drought resilience.
The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030, led by the United Nations Environment Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and partners covers terrestrial as well as coastal and marine ecosystems. A global call to action, it will draw together political support, scientific research and financial muscle to massively scale up restoration.
