Environmental recognition days are designed to raise
awareness of environmental issues, but do
they truly help to achieve global net-zero goals, asks Elliot Durrant, sustainability consultant at The
Bulb.
Green Fatigue
In today’s world, with environmental messaging everywhere
and the urgency of the argument increasing, it is easy to feel overwhelmed.
Continuous exposure to sustainability messages can lead to green fatigue, with
surveys indicating that 42 per cent of people feel exhausted by the constant influx of
environmental news. This feeling can lead to apathy and disengagement, the
exact opposite of what is required if we are to reach our climate goals.
And then there is greenwashing, which the UN defines as
“misleading the public to believe that a company or other entity is doing more
to protect the environment than it is”. An example of greenwashing could be
promising to offset carbon, rather than making actual emission cuts. The UN
goes on to say that greenwashing can “promote false solutions to the climate
crisis that distract from and delay concrete and credible action”. Basically,
if we believe something is already being done, why push for it? Again, this
practice can lead to complacency and inaction, not to mention undermining a
company’s reputation if it is discovered.
With many companies jumping on the sustainability bandwagon,
particularly around recognition days, distinguishing genuine efforts from
greenwashing can be a challenge, and research shows that 58 per cent of consumers are
sceptical of corporate environmental claims.
Educated
Yet despite the problems around greenwashing and green
fatigue, Earth Day 2023 - an annual event which began in 1970 to mark the
anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement - reached over 1
billion people globally, with 75 per cent of participants stating they felt more
informed about environmental issues afterwards.
This is particularly true when it comes to educating the
younger generation and imbuing them with a sense of stewardship towards the
environment. In 2022, World Environment Day activities included over 2,000
educational events worldwide, leading to a 20 per cent increase in environmental science
curriculum adoption in schools.
This demonstrates that when done properly and with a genuine
desire to make a positive impact, environmental days can be a fun, accessible
way to get people to re-engage. They can inspire, increase knowledge, and
encourage people to make small changes.
Collective action
Events like Earth Hour, which ask everyone to spend 60 minutes doing something positive for
our planet, have the potential to generate significant community engagement. In
2022 for example, Earth Hour led to over 1,000 community-led projects,
including the planting of five million trees. When the situation is so urgent,
initiatives like this, and the power they have to galvanise people behind a
cause, shouldn’t be underestimated.
They can even influence policy. For example, The Paris
Agreement international treaty on climate change, which sets legally binding
goals for all nations to follow, came in to force 30 days after 55 nations
(accounting for at least 55 per cent of global emissions) ratified it. This was in
November 2016, and today it has been ratified by 195 nations, (194 States plus
the European Union). It gained significant public support following
COP21-related environmental days, with social media mentions peaking at over three million.
On a roll
One of the arguments against environmental days is that once
the day is over, people may go back to their normal lives and forget about
sustainability, feeling that their involvement in that one day was sufficient,
and that their ‘good deed’ is done. However, data shows that 35 per cent of
participants in Earth Day activities reported increased involvement in
year-round sustainability initiatives.
There is however an argument for strong calls to action. The
most effective recognition days that we’ve seen include strong follow ups post
event. After the 2021 World Cleanup Day, 15 million participants in 180
countries engaged in local clean-up activities, demonstrating the potential for
lasting impact. The Estonian-based NGO which runs World Cleanup Day produces
toolkits and educational materials and runs ongoing projects aimed at
behaviour-change year-round.
In conclusion, environmental recognition days can play a
vital role in raising awareness and promoting environmental stewardship, and
the power of these events to educate and inspire action shouldn’t be
underestimated. The key to maximising their impact lies in ensuring that these
days are coupled with transparent, credible actions and sustained engagement
beyond the events themselves. By doing so, they can effectively contribute to
global net-zero goals and promote a sustainable future.
