World Environment Day was celebrated over three packed days in Switzerland as the Geneva Environment Network (GEN) secretariat co-organised a series of events together with a range of artists and government and non-government bodies.

Geneva warmed for WED with an environment-themed pub quiz hosted by GEN in the city on 3 June. Some 120 people took part in 19 teams to have their knowledge tested on endangered species, UN jargon and acronyms, environmental disasters and other related topics in the fun and challenging event.

Awareness-raising through art

On 4 June, the UNOG library then hosted a performance installation by Maria Cristina Finucci entitled The Garbage Patch State ®, using art to raise awareness on the gyres of dangerous man-made rubbish found in the oceans.

Finucci’s performance was followed by a discussion together with Gaetano Leono, Chief of UNEP’s Mediterranean Action Plan Secretariat; Susan Brown, Director of Regional and Global Policy for the WWF and H.E Jorge Lomónaco, Mexico’s Permanent Representative to the UN.

‘Inspiring’ Virunga screening

Also on 4 June, Ciné-ONU hosted a screening of the ‘Virunga’ film to a packed room of around 600 people. The screening was followed by an interactive debate with Christine Batruch of Lundin Petroleum AB, Marc Hufty of Graduate Institute Geneva and John E. Scanlon of CITES, and was moderated by the UNDP’s Samantha Newport, former spokesperson for Virunga National Park.

The film recounts a true story whereby a small team of park rangers struggle to protect the park – one of the most biodiverse places on Earth - from dark forces seeking to control the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s natural resources.

“Watching this extraordinary documentary was an emotional experience that showed us the best and the worst in human nature,” Scanlon remarked following the screening.

“The courage showed by so many, especially the front line Rangers, was inspiring. But the final chapters of this story are yet to be written. We can leave this room tonight and, as Melanie feared, do nothing about it - or we can help to write the next chapters," he underlined.

Roundtable shows procurement can make a difference

The celebrations continued on WED itself with the traditional roundtable, this year addressing sustainability through procurement. The event, hosted by GEN and chaired by the head of the UNEP Economics and Trade Branch Steven Stone, featured Anders Aeroe of the International Trade Centre, Oshani Perera of the International Institute for Sustainable Development, Véronique Diebold of the Geneva State Service of Sustainable Development, Isabella Marras from the Sustainable UN facility and Rasmus Valanko from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

Initiatives for promoting the transition to a Green Economy, as well as challenges and experiences along the way, were explored during the roundtable, with speakers explaining why procurement can make a difference for sustainability in a world of seven billion consumers.

UNECE hosts policy debate, documentary and exhibition

A policy debate, film screening and an exhibition were also held on 5 June as part of a high-level event organised by UNECE together with UNEP.

During the event, Professor Martin Beniston of the University of Geneva presented some of the latest knowledge on the state and future of climate change, as well as the main items for discussion at the upcoming COP21 climate talks.

In his blog for WED, the UNECE Executive Secretary Christian Friis Bach highlighted how the pan-European region has a particular responsibility regarding the well-being of the planet, representing about half of the carbon emissions coming from inland transport and domestic aviation in the world when the US and Canada are taken into account.

Yet the region “is also a leader in reducing energy intensity, in increasing the share of renewables, expanding forest areas and managing forests sustainably and in cutting down transport-related pollution,” he noted, underlining what the UNECE is doing to help countries move towards a circular economy.

Kate Amiguet’s documentary ‘Déchet’ was also screened, conveying in a striking way how our lifestyles have led to an overproduction of waste. Swiss cartoonist Tom Tirabosco furthermore opened a cartoon exhibition drawing attention to environmental problems.

For more information: diana.rizzolio@unep.org