World Environmental Health Day 2024 is celebrated annually on September 26. (Image: Shutterstock)
The theme for World Environmental Health Day 2024 is Environmental Health: Building Resilient Communities through Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation.
World Environmental Health Day 2024 is celebrated on 26 September every year. The day underlines the importance of creating a safe and healthy environment by addressing crucial issues such as clean air, water, proper sanitation, pollution control and waste management. This day serves as a reminder that the health of our planet is directly related to our own well-being and that if we do not protect it, we are putting both the environment and ourselves at risk.
World Environmental Health Day 2024 Theme
The theme for World Environmental Health Day 2024 is “Environmental health: building resilient communities through disaster risk reduction and climate change mitigation and adaptation.”
This theme focuses on the intersection of environmental health, climate change and disaster risk management. It calls for building resilient communities by addressing the health risks posed by climate change and natural disasters.
Wishes for World Environmental Health Day
- The poetry of the earth never dies. Happy World Environmental Health Day!
- The environment is where we all meet. Happy World Environmental Health Day!
- Let's all do our part to make the world cleaner and healthier.
- We wish you all a happy World Environmental Health Day! Together we can build a healthier world.
- On this World Environmental Health Day, let us recognize the importance of clean air, water and sustainable living.
World Environmental Health Day Quotes
- “We will not have a society if we destroy the environment.” – Margaret Mead
- “What good is a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to build it on?” – Henry David Thoreau
- “Keeping the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we cannot keep the mind strong and clear.” – Buddha
- “When the last tree is cut down, the last fish is killed, and the last river is poisoned, then you will find that money cannot be eaten.” – John May
- “Saving our planet, lifting people out of poverty, driving economic growth… they are one and the same struggle.” – Ban Ki-moon
The impact of environmental risks on human life
Environmental risks profoundly impact human health and well-being.
Poor air quality contributes to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases such as asthma, lung cancer and heart disease.
Long-term exposure to pollutants such as particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) leads to chronic diseases and premature deaths.
Polluted water, caused by industrial waste, agricultural runoff and poor sanitation, causes diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever and dysentery.
Lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation, particularly in developing countries, leads to millions of cases of waterborne diseases.
Climate change, through extreme weather events such as heat waves, floods and droughts, brings direct health risks such as heat stroke and heat-related deaths.
It also indirectly affects food security and increases the spread of vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue.
Deforestation and environmental degradation further increase the risk of zoonotic diseases by disrupting ecosystems and wildlife habitats.
Together, these environmental hazards highlight the urgent need for collaborative efforts to protect both the planet and public health.
History of World Environmental Health Day
World Environmental Health Day was first celebrated on 26 September 2011, after its creation by the International Federation for Environmental Health (IFEH). The IFEH initiated this day to raise awareness about the direct relationship between the environment and public health.
The aim is to highlight the global impact of pollution, poor waste management, climate change and the depletion of natural resources on human well-being.
Each year, World Environmental Health Day draws attention to the need to achieve healthier environments by reducing exposure to environmental hazards such as air and water pollution, inadequate sanitation and unsafe handling of chemicals. It also promotes sustainable resource management and urban planning practices to improve the health of communities.
Importance of World Environmental Health Day
This day raises global awareness of environmental health challenges such as climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, and encourages individuals, governments and communities to take proactive action.
World Environmental Health Day aligns with global initiatives such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which advocate for greener policies, sustainable practices and protection of public health.
