EDITORIAL - Connecting people to nature

People who appreciate the beauty of nature and understand how much humans depend on it feel a personal stake in protecting the planet. This is the idea behind the theme for this year’s World Environment Day: “connecting people to nature.”

Countries such as the Philippines have a particularly high stake in caring for the planet. Experts have said the country is one of the most vulnerable to the impact of global warming. While blessed with rich biodiversity, the country lacks the resources to protect its natural wealth, with many species now classified as threatened, endangered or close to extinction. Forests, coral reefs and wetlands are also threatened.

The country is also among the most prone to natural disasters, which have grown in intensity as temperatures and sea levels rise. In recent years, cities in secluded bays have been surprised by killer storm surges and freak floods.

Human activities aggravate the problems. Pollution threatens sources of food and fresh water. Natural resources are being depleted by destructive, unsustainable methods of exploitation. These problems must be confronted decisively not just by governments but also by every individual. Each person is a stakeholder of the Earth.

Protecting the environment is crucial for sustained economic growth. It is also among the Sustainable Development Goals that the Philippines has committed to achieve by 2030, particularly the protection of marine and terrestrial resources.

In choosing this year’s theme for World Environment Day, which has been observed since 1974, the United Nations stresses that advances in science and technology have given humans the power to transform the environment on an unprecedented scale. The UN is hoping that people will be more inspired to strike a blow for the environment when they commune with nature and appreciate the beauty of the planet.