News

Happy World Environment Day!

FPE joins the world in celebrating World Environment Day (WED) on June 5, 2014. 

WED is an annual event observed worldwide to generate positive environmental action. It began in 1972 through the United Nations General Assembly to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on Human Environment. 

This year's WED adopts the United Nations' (UN) theme on Small Islands Developing States (SIDS)  to create awareness on the "unique development challenges and successes" of this group of countries in combatting a range of global issues such as climate change, waste management, degradation of natural resources, and other extreme natural disasters in the midst of overpopulation and continuing industrialization, as cited by the UN. 

While the Philippines is not among the 52 countries and territories facing specific social, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities classified as SIDS by the UN, these issues are very real in this country. Thus, the Philippines has to find strategic, workable, and ingenious solutions to rise above these challenges.

FPE, along with its partners, conducts mangrove conservation and management training for LGUs and people's organizations from Eastern Samar. (FPE photo)

A community nursery establishment in Tayabasan, one of the areas covered by the greater Upper Marikina Watershed. (FPE photo)

For its part, FPE supports the Philippine government in slowing down climate change and uplifting the lives of low income groups through planting of native tree species in environmentally-critical areas; re-establishing natural resource base in Yolanda-stricken communities through mangrove and coral rehabilitation; and creating partnerships with the private sector to restore the Marikina watershed that suffered from the Ondoy onslaught. FPE undertakes small and big conservation initiatives in various parts of the country, which, if put together can make a difference. Thus, FPE rises to the challenge and heeds the WED call to "Raise Your Voice, Not the Sea Level."

To learn more about WED and take part in this celebration, please visit http://www.unep.org/wed/.