World Meteorological Day marks the establishment in 1950 of the Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) (though it had been around since 1873). The 2021 theme is The Ocean, our climate and weather. The Ocean covers 70% of the Earth’s surface, provides vital resources, is the major driver of the world’s weather and climate […]
An asteroid is a body of rock that orbits the sun. Large numbers of asteroids are found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. International Asteroid Day, founded in 2016, is to observe each year at the international level the anniversary of the Tunguska impact over Siberia, Russian Federation on 30th June 1908 and to […]
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now. Chinese proverb Australia has over 24,000 species of native plants. Schools Tree Day is a great way to inspire students to learn about the local environment while playing an active role in their community. Planet Ark has many […]
National Tree Day was co-founded in 1996 by Planet Ark and Olivia Newton-John, and is Australia's largest community tree planting and nature protection event. The ask for this Day is for one million new native trees and shrubs to be planted across the country. Each year, about 300,000 people volunteer their time to engage in […]
Nuclear weapons testing began in 1945 and nearly 2,000 tests have subsequently been undertaken. International Day against Nuclear Tests is to learn about the effects of nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions and the need for their cessation as one of the means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world and […]
As explained by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, ozone is a gas made up of three oxygen atoms (O3) that occurs naturally in the upper atmosphere -- called the stratosphere and at 10-50 kilometres altitude. In the lower atmosphere (the troposphere) near the Earth’s surface, ozone is created by chemical reactions between air pollutants […]
The horror of the Second World War, culminating in the nuclear blasts at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, brought home the need to address the nuclear issue. However, and as outlined in the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) 2020 Armaments, Disarmament and International Security yearbook, at the start of 2020, nine countries — the United States, […]
Plants nurture soil-living organisms -- only 1% of these soil microorganisms having been identified to date (compared to 80% of plant species). This vast world constitutes soil biodiversity -- 25% of the planet's biodiversity -- and determines the main bio-geochemical processes that make life possible on Earth, with this diverse community feeding and protecting plants, […]