Earth Day: A Global Movement for Environmental Protection
Celebrated every year on April 22, Earth Day mobilizes millions of people worldwide to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote the protection of the planet. Created in 1970, this initiative is now one of the most widely followed environmental events, coordinated globally by the organization Earth Day with the participation of approximately one billion people in over 193 countries.
The idea of this day emerged after a devastating oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, in 1969. Deeply affected, former US Senator Gaylord Nelson decided to launch a national mobilization to raise awareness about pollution and the threats to the environment. He chose the date of April 22, strategically situated between spring break and final exams in universities, to reach a maximum number of students. April 22, 1970, marked the first edition of Earth Day.
With growing awareness about climate change, the importance of Earth Day continues to grow. According to a 2023 survey by the Pew Research Center, 74% of Americans believe their country should actively engage in international climate action, while 72% say they are concerned, at least in part, about climate change.
Another representative survey conducted by Stanford University reveals that 82% of Americans recognize that human activities are at least partially responsible for global warming.
Globally, perceptions are evolving rapidly. According to the Pew Research Center's annual survey, 54% of respondents considered climate change a major threat in 2014. This figure rose to 62% in 2017 and 71% in 2022, illustrating a notable progression in global awareness.
According to the UNDP's Peoples' Climate Vote, 56% of people surveyed worldwide say they think about climate change regularly – every day or every week. More than half express greater concern than they did a year ago about the evolution of the climate situation.
