Celebrating Earth Day 2022

The theme for Earth Day 2022 is ‘Invest in our Planet’ which has the support of thousands of organisations and individuals all over the world. Since 1970, the organisation behind this annual happening has been fulfilling its mission to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide - working with more than 150,000 partners in over 192 countries to become the world’s largest recruiter to drive positive action for our planet.??

“Our goal is to engage more than 1 billion people in activities that would redirect the attention to creating a 21st century economy that brings back the healing and health of our planet, whilst protecting all species and providing opportunities for everyone. The status quo, the way we live today is changing before our eyes. In building our future, individuals, businesses, entrepreneurs, governments each have a unique role. We need to act individually and together.”

Kathleen Rogers, President of Earthday.org

Earth Day was established in 1970 and here are just a few statistics about what has changed over the last 50+ years:

• We have been emitting almost three times more CO2 since levels have risen from 13.7 billion to 36.3 billion tonnes. Unfortunately, this has had a detrimental effect as land-ocean temperatures have risen to 0.85°C (according to NASA’s index) across the world.
• Due to sea ice melting 13% each decade and various other factors, sea levels have risen 12 centimetres and the arctic sea ice minimum is now 2.2 million (km2) less.?
• Our population has doubled from 3.7 billion to 7.9 billion, which means that we’re using more energy than ever before, however thanks to the ban of CFCs in 1987, ozone-depleting emissions are down by 99%.

If you love hard-hitting facts, then here is another eye-opening video packed with statistics to motivate change-makers…?

As of now, we have 402 weeks (that’s 92 months or 2811 days) to focus on cutting emissions and averting climate disaster by 2030. “... by which time we basically will be already choosing between a world of constant and increasing destruction and human misery or a world that is actually much better than what we have now,“ according to Global Optimism’s Founding Partner and one of the key architects of the 2015 Paris Agreement - Christiana Figueres.

Fortunately, we are much more aware of our impact and are collectively taking action to cut greenhouse gases and make a difference. Countries all over the world are dramatically reducing carbon emissions with ambitious efforts to tackle climate change by shifting to renewable energy solutions, restoring and protecting the environment, and are investing more sustainably as well as in health and education.

“Earth breakdown is happening with a rapidity that leaves me speechless.”

Peter Kalmus, Climate Scientist

Alongside Al Gore and Greta Thunberg, Sir David Attenborough is known around the world as one of the most prominent figures in raising awareness about our impact on the environment, so it’s quite apt that this week he has been named by the UN’s Environment Programme (UNEP) as a ‘Champion of the Earth’. In other good news this week, the UK government’s Department for Education has announced a new qualification focused on natural history, environmental and sustainability issues, and climate science, that would teach students about the value of protecting the planet.?

It is also absolutely wonderful to see that communities and professionals around the globe are divesting from fossil fuels and committing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to build a more resilient global economy.

Following the pandemic, we have learnt that we can quickly change and transform our behaviours, that we can innovate in most challenging circumstances and that we can work together to meet big challenges.

With the support of government policies, enhanced efficiencies, spectacular innovations and falling costs, renewable energy solutions are enabling a sustainable clean energy future and impetus for positive climate action. For instance, due to its affordability, reliability and sustainability, the global count for hydroelectric power capacity reached a staggering 150 countries in 2019.?

“Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world.” Dolores Huerta

Currently, we are empowering greater efficiencies in the industry by combining snow expertise with cutting-edge geospatial and machine learning technologies, in order to help hydropower producers more accurately predict water flow into hydro dams and hydrological inflows on a regional scale. These improved forecast insights would support numerous key areas that are important to optimise hydroelectricity asset optimisiation, as well as enhance trading decision making, and enable crucial sustainability efforts.

Click here to find out how we’re collaborating with hydroelectricity companies in Switzerland to optimise the use of water in dams.

And now, to raise awareness of Earth Day’s tremendous achievements, we have compiled links below to the just some of the stupendous amount of invaluable resources and activities that we hope you will find useful:

1. Download the Global Earth Challenge? mobile app to contribute to the billions of data points that are being curated from new and ongoing citizen science projects. For instance, you could provide insights and explore topics such as the impact of plastics pollution and the changing ecosystems of insect populations across the world.
2. Register now to join the free Exponential Climate Action Summit focused on exploring the role of nature in the race to zero. This virtual event is organised by We Don’t Have Time (a review platform for climate solutions) and starts today (22nd April 2022) at 2pm CEST / 8am EDT. Tune-in to hear from an amazing line-up of industry professionals from the likes of UNFCCC, Netflix, UN Environment Programme, Ericsson, World Resources Institute and Bayer, as well as government officials and esteemed academic speakers from across the world who will tackle challenging topics about what is required to reduce a third of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
3. Help to rehabilitate our planet by participating in The Canopy Project with which you can plant one (or more) of millions of trees worldwide in areas where environmental degradation needs urgent climate action attention.
4. The Great Global Cleanup? is a worldwide campaign to reduce waste and plastic pollution, by improving habitats, and preventing harm to wildlife and humans. Take a look at what clean up activities are taking place across the world or register your own event.
5. Future generations will have to live with today's devastating effects on climate change and plastic pollution. Thus, it is essential that leaders and changemakers of all ages act now to make a difference in their communities while inspiring their peers to do the same. Be inspired by watching the Earth Day Live webinar that took place on the 31st of March.
6. The Climate and Environmental Literacy Campaign can help to educate communities - young and old - to create jobs, build a green consumer market and allow citizens to engage with their governments in a meaningful way to address the climate crisis. There are numerous letters to your ministers NGOs and government leaders that you can sign as well as an excellent communications toolkit to utilise in your own messaging across social media.

It’s quiz time! Why not test your knowledge on how much you know about clean energy and climate change or even explore the link between nature and happiness??

• Take the Clean Energy Quiz now
• Time for another? Then how about the Climate Change Quiz
• The Nature & Happiness Quiz is essential for a Friday afternoon.

What else can you do? Well, whilst a 50% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 is the first marker toward Net Zero before 2050, there is still time to create and participate in credible actions. For instance, you can join the movement to change the world, by raising awareness amongst your peers, by participating in one of the activities with your family, by advocating for climate action or by running your own event. Whether you do this individually or as part of a group, you can chose to get involved as soon and as much as you wish by engaging with one of the many available tools via this link.

We hope that you find this article of use and welcome you to add your own activities and suggestions for Earth Day 2022 in the comments below. We’d love to hear what “Invest in our Planet” means to you and how you wish to act upon this message.

P.S. To watch the first ever news coverage on ABC News in America about the very first Earth Day, which was themed ‘An SOS for Survival’, and was broadcast on 22nd of April 1970 - just click here.

P.P.S. If you particularly enjoy a quiz, then check out all the other excellent quizzes available on EarthDay.org

P.P.P.S Here’s another helpful round-up of events happening across the world today listed by The Independent for Earth Day 2022.

P.P.P.P.S. Here’s a fun discussion between Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic climate activist Chuck Nice as they talk about the origins of Earth Day and when we started paying attention to environmental issues on our own planet.

Finally, our thhanks to Elena Mozhvilo for the photo of the beautiful watercolour of earth from space.

Introduction to Wegaw

Headquartered in Morges, Switzerland, Wegaw combines satellite imagery, AI and machine learning algorithms to create the underlying climate tech solution that supports the energy sectors’ transition to sustainable and clean energy. Wegaw comprises a multinational team with backgrounds from CERN, United Nations, HP, and is supported by the European Space Agency and the Swiss Energy Agency. Since 2018, Wegaw has begun operating in five countries, delivering impactful datasets to 15 clients and more than 30 power plants without the need for further investment in infrastructure. Moreover, Wegaw is working with government bodies and national agencies to reduce CO2 emissions, aid international efforts to attain Net Zero status and achieve Sustainable Development Goals.

Find out more about what we do at wegaw.com, by watching this video, by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

As always, you can also contact our team directly via email to [email protected].