12 Midday on World Environment Day counts!  Come together to share the occassion of the festival opening and make a statement with your presence supporting a collaborative community in Brisbane.  Make unity your message this World Environment Day at 12 midday, City Botanic Gardens.

View letter from Director of UNEP, Achim Steiner to Greenfest, file attached to bottom of this page.  It encourages us to rally around the theme of World Environment day "Your planet needs you - unite to combat climate change!"

The days events will include a free to the public concert with some of Australia tops musicians,  conservation speakers, workshops, organic food, innovations and exhibitions for a cooler planet.

Read about Greenfest's recognition for climate change.

World Environment Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972.  It is hosted every year by a different city and commemorated with an international exposition through the week of June 5.

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), also created in 1972, promotes World Environment Day to stimulate awareness of the environment and enhance political attention and public action.

Recognising that climate change is the defining issue of our era, UNEP is asking countries, companies and communities to focus on greenhouse gas emissions and how to reduce them. World Environment Day can highlight resources and initiatives that promote low carbon economies and life-styles, such as improved energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, forest conservation and eco-friendly consumption.

The day's agenda is to give a human face to environmental issues; empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development; promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues; and advocate partnership, which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future. Leaders often deliver statements and commit themselves to care for the Earth on this day with serious pledges of permanent resource commitment. 

On this World Environment Day at Greenfest 2009, let us examine the state of our environment. Let us consider carefully the actions which each of us must take, and then address ourselves to our common task of preserving the quality and diversity of all life on earth. 

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