EARTH DAY: A REMINDER THERE’S NO PLAN(ET) B

From a US-led virtual climate summit to a Google doodle, here’s how the world marked Earth Day on Thursday

“It’s crucial to include job creation as a part of the foundation for a country’s climate policies. The task is to show that ordinary people can have their living conditions improved because of climate and environmental benefits.” - Mette Frederiksen, Denmark’s Prime Minister

WHAT IS EARTH DAY?

An annual event, held on April 22, to show support for environmental protection. Events are held globally on this day as a coordinated awareness campaign to save the planet.

1970

The first Earth Day was celebrated 51 years back. It was a US-led drive after an oil spill off the coast of California’s Santa Barbara.

BIDEN’S PLEDGE AND SUMMIT

US President Joe Biden chose the day to announce that the US will cut emissions by 50-52% by 2030. He also virtually hosted 40 world leaders for climate talks.

GOOGLE DOODLE

Google published a doodle on its homepage of a woman reading a book under a tree while her daughter carries a sapling to plant. A video shows people teaching their young ones to plant trees.

GRETA TESTIFIES

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg testified at a US congressional hearing on subsidies for fossil fuels, which the panel has been pressuring the US government to end.

DALAI LAMA’S CLARION CALL

The Tibetan leader called for a global effort to save the planet, saying problems like depletion of ozone layer can’t be tackled individually.

‘EARTH ANTHEM’

Over 100 poets, musicians, actors, singers and artists from across the world came together virtually to read the celebratory song ‘Earth Anthem’, written by Indian diplomat Abhay Kumar.

REUTERS A total of 330,000 candles were arranged in the shape of the Earth to set a Guinness record, at Dhammakaya temple in Thailand. 40+ Countries have so far rolled out some form of carbon pricing, such as an emissions trading system or carbon tax, to incentivise long-term pro-climate policies