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There’s no place like home

On Earth Day, we celebrate home – the one we all share, the only one we have.

April 20^th, 2022

Look up at the night sky.

You’ll see a dazzling constellation of stars, planets, moons and asteroids. But not one of these heavenly bodies is as remarkable as our blue planet.

For billionaires and starry-eyed tourists, space might be nice to visit, but you wouldn’t want to live there.

Earth is one in 100 billion

There are about 100 billion planets in our Milky Way galaxy, according to NASA. But other than Earth, few, if any, have the conditions necessary to support human life.

It’s taken billions of years of transformation for Earth to reach conditions that are just right, including a stable climate that is not too cold and not too hot. Its magical features include liquid water and an atmosphere full of oxygen that allow our complex biosphere to flourish.

We are one in 9 million

It’s impossible to definitively count all the different types of animals, plants and other living organisms on Earth. The vast majority are still undiscovered. But according to scientists’ best estimates, we share our planet with around 8.7 million species. All these living things and their interactions with each other make up the biodiversity that sustains all life, including ours.

A single teaspoon of rich garden soil can contain 10,000 species of bacteria. These microorganisms make the soil fertile, so it can produce all the food we need. Healthy ecosystems also give us clean water and air; they provide jobs and recreation. In short, nature makes life possible as well as enjoyable.

You are one in 8 billion

We share our home with 7.8 billion neighbours. Whether we live near the sea or high in the mountains, in a big city or a remote hamlet, we share the same ocean, air and climate.

What you do in your backyard can affect people thousands of miles away. Forests planted or restored in one country help to regulate the climate for all of us.

Redefine the Anthropocene

Humans are vastly outnumbered by all the other life forms that share our home. Yet our actions are reshaping the planet as never before. Scientists call our era the Anthropocene, the current geological epoch in which human activity is the greatest driver of environmental change.

Some of the hallmarks of the Anthropocene are global heating, mass extinction and rampant plastic pollution. But if humans have the power to destroy the environment we depend on, we also have the potential to be a formidable force for positive transformation.

Let’s get inspired by people around the world who are working to redefine the Anthropocene.

Anastasija Đorđa Bosančić, Climate activist - Bosnia and Herzegovina

“Even though we, the youth, are not directly responsible for climate change, we are the ones to feel them on our skin.”

19-year-old Anastasija Đorđa Bosančić was raised by her parents to be mindful of how her actions affect nature. She carries this awareness with her and tries to pass it along through everyday conversations and through her own example. Beyond moderating her consumption of animal-based foods, she makes sure to check labels to see whether her food is produced sustainably.

Full story: Changing what we eat to help the planet.

Iman Hadi, Solar entrepreneur - Yemen

“I realized to what extent people in my area, women in particular, are suffering so I decided to go beyond social and cultural barriers and take action.”

Iman Hadi leads a group of 10 women who installed a solar power plant to serve households in remote Yemeni villages. Beyond providing clean and affordable energy to vulnerable households, Iman is changing minds about the role of women in her conservative society. Her work won global recognition in 2020 when BBC listed her among the world’s 100 most influential women.

Full story: A Yemeni woman improves lives and changes minds

John Kahekwa, Equator Prize winner - DR Congo

“Our goal is to protect the gorillas through taking care of the communities around – that’s the only solution.”

John Kahekwa and the community he is part of are on a mission to protect the endangered eastern lowland gorilla and its habitat in Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, as founder of the Equator Prize-winning Pole Pole Foundation, John is not focusing his work on traditional wildlife conservation techniques. Instead, he is developing sustainable livelihood opportunities for communities surrounding the park, including turning former poachers into conservationists.

Meet other Equator Prize winners.

Juana Quea, President, Polar Bear Mining Society - Peru

“The implementation of clean technologies can be delayed due to its costs and the economic investment it requires, but it is best to abandon the use of mercury.”

Juana Quea is one of the few women leaders in the male-dominated mining sector in Peru. Concerned about the impact on human health and the environment, Juana is speaking out about the need to phase out the use of toxic chemicals in artisanal and small-scale gold mining.

Full story: New technology for responsible mining

Vikas Rana, Wildlife monitor - India

“Every minute was a great learning. We were taught to recognize track marks of different animals and other signs of their presence.”

Vikas Rana is one of 30 young people from the state of Uttarakhand who have completed training to protect India’s high-altitude wetlands. The SECURE Himalaya initiative mobilizes community-governed conservation groups to monitor the health of these precious ecosystems.

Full story: “These wetlands give us everything”

UN Environment Assembly

“The high and rapidly increasing levels of plastic pollution represent a serious environmental problem at a global scale.”

At the 5th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in March 2022, UN Member States endorsed a historic resolution to end plastic pollution. The resolution aims to produce, by 2024, the first ever legally binding international agreement addressing the full lifecycle of plastic, from design to production and disposal.

Full story: The beginning of the end for throwaway plastic

Frankie, Dinosaur

“At least we had an asteroid. What’s your excuse?”

Other species are stepping up the help us humans save ourselves, including one from a bygone era. Speaking from experience, Frankie the dinosaur has a forceful message for humanity: Don’t choose extinction.