International Day of Peace 2019 focuses on “climate action for peace”

International Day of Peace is celebrated on 21 September, annually as the United Nations (UN) devoted this day to strengthening ideals of peace across all nations, and this year focusing on the core theme centred around climate change.

Why is International Day of Peace celebrated?

The 2019 theme for this day is “climate action for peace”, which focuses on the fight against climate change and its importance while promoting a peace ideal to all nations across the world.

The United Nations notes that natural disasters unsettle three times as many people as conflicts do because millions are forced to leave their homes, the organisation further states that peace can only be achieved if concrete action is taken to combat climate change.

“The salinization of water and crops is endangering food security, and the impact on public health is escalating. The growing tensions over resources and mass movements of people are affecting every country on every continent.”

United Nations

Peace: The UN wants to improve education on climate change

In 2015, the United Nations Member States adopted the proposed 17 Sustainable Development Goals as the building blocks of building a “possible” peaceful world, as the organisation understands and foresees these steps as a way to achieve economic and social development.

The Sustainable Goals clause covers many issues faced by countries across the globe, including health, climate change, gender equality, poverty, education, water, sanitation, energy, environment and social justice.

The Sustainable Development Goal 13 was also introduced as a call to action for all to lower greenhouse emissions, and improve education on climate change. The development goal proposes affordable, scalable solutions that include clean technologies, renewable energy, and more efficient ways for countries to lean into a greener climate.

UN: “Nature does not negotiate”

UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, notes that “nature does not negotiate” and emphasizes on four measures that governments should implement to prioritise carbon neutrality by 2050.

Guterres states tax pollution should be incorporated and fossil fuels should not be subsidised. The secretary general further states that a green economy should be fought for instead of feeding the current grey economy the world has, and the prohibitation of building coal plants by 2020 should be enforced.

On 23 September, the United Nations is planning a Climate Action Summit to establish realistic plans to accelerate global action. The Summit will look into sectors that create the most emissions and will provide leaders and partners the opportunity to demonstrate their attempts at alleviating pressure on the earth’s climate.

Furthermore, the United Nations asks global citizens to join in the action of tackling climate change by turning off car lights, using public transport systems so that there are fewer cars on the road, and any ideas to be shared on social media with the hashtag for Peace Day and Climate Action.

“It is possible to achieve our goals, but we need decisions, political will and transformational policies to allow us to still live in peace with our climate.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres