Addis Ababa, April 23, 2025 (FMC) – The world marked International Earth Day on April 22, a day dedicated to raising awareness of environmental conservation and sustainability.
This year’s Earth Day was celebrated under the theme “Our Power, Our Planet,” urging efforts to unite around renewable energy and the global target to triple clean electricity by 2030, as agreed upon at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
In his message on the occasion, the UN Secretary General António Guterres said Mother Earth is running a fever. Last year was the hottest ever recorded. This year is critical.
“All countries must create new Climate Action plans to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C & avoid the worst of climate catastrophe,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Africans are disproportionately affected by climate change, despite contributing very little to global greenhouse gas emissions.
Many African countries are already facing challenges related to poverty, food security, and infrastructure, making them particularly susceptible to climate change impacts.
Most Africans who are aware of climate change say it is making their lives worse and call on their governments and wealthy countries to take the lead in reducing its impact, the latest Afrobarometer survey findings revealed.
On average across 28 countries, nearly three-fifths of Africans are aware of climate change.
Among those who are familiar with the phenomenon, about two-thirds say human activity is the main cause of climate change.
In response to changing weather patterns and environmental degradation, majorities of Africans endorse investments in climate-resilient infrastructure, pressure to be applied on rich countries to provide more climate aid, and more investments in wind and solar energy.
The emphasis of this year’s Earth Day is on accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources with the goal of tripling global clean electricity generation by 2030.
As the world grapples with the urgency of climate change, the intersection between renewable energy and the water sector has become an increasingly vital area of focus.
The United Nations has recognized Earth Day as an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of protecting the planet’s ecosystems, which are foundational to sustaining life on Earth.
Climate change, deforestation, land-use change, and biodiversity loss continue to accelerate the degradation of our environment, making Earth Day’s call for a shift towards sustainable practices even more pertinent.