EUROPE

BELGIUM

Brussels
In 2004, Green Week, organized by the European Commission (EC) and the Director-General (DG) of the Environment, took place on 1-4 June. The EC and the DG announced the launch of the new "Clean Marine Award", which was presented for the first time on 1 June. The awards, in keeping with the theme seas and oceans, were announced in the European Commission's Communication on a European Union strategy to reduce atmospheric emissions from seagoing ships. The objective is to give positive publicity to environmentally responsible shipping, specifically low-emission initiatives and to disseminate best practice. The Commission plans to celebrate these ceremonies on a biannual basis, through high profile events.
The World Customs Organization (WCO) created a special web page on the occasion of World Environment Day 2004.

CYPRUS

Nicosia
In 2006, UNDP's initiative on the island, Action for Cooperation and Trust (ACT), participated in an environmental stakeholder fair entitled Ecoforum 2006 on 5-7 June. The Fair featured a series of lectures on desertification and on the environmental principles of the global compact, an exhibition of NGO environmental projects supported by UNDP-ACT and workshops for environmental businesses and environmental NGOs. In parallel, they are providing small grants for four-month environmental projects, such as the Olive Tree Rescue project and the Management of Artificial Wetlands project.

FINLAND

In 2004, Lassila & Tikanoja produced a recycling guide for Finnish consumers, which offers useful information about recycling waste in the home. Together with WWF, Lassila & Tikanoja created a web quiz about environmental issues and particularly about recycling. Lassila & Tikanoja also produced a song called Blues and Greens.

Joensuu
ENO-Environment Online is a global web school for environmental awareness at 180 schools in 69 countries. ENO's bicycle parade and kite flying events for World Environment Day finished the 2004-05 school year. ENO organized a bicycle trip to a local park where they flew their kites.

In 2006, the Environment Online Programme celebrated by planting trees, playing their self-made wooden musical instruments and flying kites. This was organized at ENO schools in 75 countries. Groups were invited to register their tree planting event and join the celebrations. These activities marked the end of the school year 2005-2006.

Helsinki
In 2006, the UN Association of Finland created a website on the WED theme of deserts and desertification. The site targeted Finnish students and their teachers.

FRANCE

Paris
In 2004, the City Council of Paris put an announcement on 177 electronic panels throughout the City from 26 May to 5 June. In addition, 100 World Environment Day posters were displayed in city halls and public libraries.

GEORGIA

Tbilisi
In 2005, the association Green Way launched a project entitled "Earth Festival" which included a Forum on the Day; the establishment of a "Green Fund"; the launch of a Small Grant Competition; and activities to benefit charities. The Forum involved environmental NGO representatives, legislative and executive bodies, the business sector, donors and the diplomatic corps. During the Forum, invitees were given an opportunity to promote their activities and achievements and to highlight the problems that they are facing and to illustrate possible solutions.

GERMANY

Hamburg
In 2004, the United World Philharmonic Youth Orchestra launched on its web site a seven-minute video-clip. The orchestra played the second movement Jeux de Vagues of Claude Debussy's La mer, which was synchronized with images of seas and oceans.

GREECE

Athens
In 2004, the Athens Environmental Foundation, the Athens Olympic Organizing Committee and UNEP undertook, with Jean-Michel Cousteau, a special event in Piraeus. Activities included a clean up of beaches, including Piraeus – the Port of Athens – as well as an underwater clean-up with hundreds of divers in several spots in Greece. Five vessels participated in this exercise and removed large amount of debris from the seabed, including cars and refrigerators. Municipal trucks hauled the debris for recycling and/or disposal. The other two vessels did a demonstration on oil spill containment. Prior to the event, a ship with two divers went on site to survey what was under the water. They mapped the results and handed them to Cousteau and his team who were leading the expedition.
In 2006, the Hellenic Tennis Federation (HTF) organized a junior tennis tournament entitled The Green Tennis Tournament. The event took place in all tennis clubs in Greece on 5-6 June, and involved young people between 8 and 18 years of age. In every category, there was an 'Environment 2006' winner. In support of the HTF program 'Poverty and Environment', every player gave two pounds for a child in a developing country that had been adopted by a school or family in his/her area.

Zakynthos
In 2005, the Department of Ecology and Environment, the Technological Education Institute of the Ionian Islands and the Municipality of Zakynthos organized a city open day, under the slogan Nature is You. Cars were not allowed within the city limits and public transport was free. A bicycle tour, street events, concerts, bands and theatre plays were also organized.

IRELAND

Lorraine
In 2005, the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board organized Fisheries Awareness Week in the Shannon catchments. Activities included open days, environmental awareness talks, angling demonstrations and competitions.

ITALY

Rimini
In 2006, Ambiente Club with the Common of Bellaria -- Igea Marina organized a film festival prize Environment-Sail as part of the Bellaria-Igea Marina Film Festival on 1 to 5 June. The Festival, in its 24th year, established a new prize dedicated to the environment. The winner is chosen from all the documentaries and films about the environment submitted for consideration.

NORWAY

Oslo
The children’s environmental organization Inky’s Eco-detectives, a partner of UNEP, participated in a number of World Environment Day 2004 activities. The two riverbank towns of Hamar and Gjøvik, separated by Norway’s largest lake Mjøsa, collaborated to clean up their lake.

Tromsø
In the arctic town of Tromsø, 5 June 2004 was celebrated under the midnight sun with a carnival and a storytelling festival.

ROMANIA

Arad
In 2005, Arad and Tulane Universities organized a series of Urban Environmental Forums including workshops, trainings and tours of sewage plants and landfills. Experts from various sectors – government, NGO, universities, private sector and citizens) discussed urban environmental issues. The Conference, attended by people from six countries, was organized under the WED theme Green Cities.

RUSSIA

Nazran
In 2005, International Medical Corps (IMC) organized clean-up campaigns (rubbish and waste removal, renovation of communal places, cleaning of river beds and springs, tree planting) in four settlements in Ingushetia and two villages in Chechnya. Ten vehicles were provided with waste-bins, with slogans inviting people to take care of the environment. Volunteers attended a "green concert", during which children of the IMC Youth Centers (from the spontaneous settlements of "Iman" and "Metalshop") could show their creative skills. To foster healthy lifestyle skills and attract children’s interest in environment issues, poster/drawing competitions were organized among 20 spontaneous settlements in Ingushetia and four villages in Chechnya.

SPAIN

Alcalá de Henares (Madrid)
In 2005, the Association of Environmental Sciences launched a digital magazine entitled Legatus, featuring various articles on sustainable development.

Bilbao
For the third consecutive year, IHOBE - the public society of environmental management of the Basque Government Environmental Department – organized Basque Green Week (Aste Berdea) from 31 May to 6 June 2004. For the first time, more than 51 municipalities participated in the Green Week with more than 200 activities including exhibitions, films, conferences, visits to factories, theatres, competitions (photos, flowers, painting), and ecological agriculture exhibits.

SWITZERLAND

Gland
In 2004, the three environmental organizations based in Gland, IUCN, Ramsar and WWF, joined forces to host an open house to help put Gland on the map as a world centre for conservation and sustainable development. Some 1,000 people passed through the doors of the IUCN Headquarters where they were entertained and educated by an extensive marine exhibition and a multitude of imaginative children's games in line with the theme Wanted! Seas and Oceans - Dead or Alive? A film on IUCN's marine programme was shown and a water-themed improvisation staged. There were guided tours every hour through IUCN's natural garden. The day ended with more than 130 prizes being given out in a tombola draw that included prizes donated by local commercial and IUCN suppliers. The open house has grown every year in both scope and vision and the public has responded accordingly.

Lausanne
The Athena Foundation presented the 2005 Canton de Vaud Earth Champions Awards at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. Honoured were those who have made significant contributions to environmental sustainability in the Canton.

Zurich
In 2004, Zurich, the largest city and economic centre of Switzerland, went all out in support of the environment. Cleaner air, less noise, lighter traffic, saving energy, protection of city animals, healthy tree and plant life, better hygiene in food handling in restaurants were some of the issues addressed. At several city squares and central locations, information stalls, inter-active events and measuring equipment brought these issues closer to the approximately one million inhabitants of the Greater Zurich Area. Excursions to bat colonies and other parts of Zurich's astonishingly rich “city wildlife” were a highlight for families.

UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND

Bangor
In 2005, the Northern Ireland Tree Campaign, a Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland initiative funded by Environment and Heritage Service, descended on Scrub Country Park, Newtownards, to hold an ‘Environmental Adventure’. Starting in the main car park, adventurers followed a map around Killynether Wood, a mixture of beautiful beech and hazel trees, stopping along the way to take part in fun activities to learn about nature. Each activity, carefully designed to be both fun and educational, took about an hour to complete and was suitable for all ages.

Belfast
In 2006, Price WaterhouseCoopers partook in a whole week of activities to increase awareness and raise money. The funds will be used for building a well in Burkina Faso, volunteering on a local nature reserve for a day, training staff through a number of guest speakers and raising more money by having a fair-trade stall.

Dorking
In 2005, the Dorking Decongestion Forum organized a number of events, including a non-single occupant Vehicle Day, with the participation of 20,000 people; a Cycle Fun Day with 15,000 people taking part; and a black tie Gala Dinner.

Hemel Hempstead
Every year Epson Telford Limited has an Environment Month, which falls in June to coincide with World Environment Day. In 2004, Epson used competitions and promotions to reinforce the company's commitment to the environment and to raise the profile of local, regional and global environmental issues. Environment Month allows Epson to "up the ante" with its employees and the local community. Activities included a poetry competition with local schools using the slogan Wanted! Seas and Oceans - Dead or Alive? The prize-winning school received an Epson Printer and the top three winning pupils received prizes. In-house, an environmental quiz was held (also with a prize) using the WED theme.

London
London Sustainability Weeks (LSW) is the largest project to date of London 21 Sustainability Network. This two-week programme celebrates local action for sustainability in Greater London, to coincide with World Environment Day on 5 June. Events are organized by local organizations and London-wide networks: there are nine supporting partner associations, who work on issues such as food-growing, recycling, city farms, energy and social inclusion. LSW was first run on a small scale in 2003 (with about 50 events in one week). In 2004, London 21 received financial support and expanded the event from one to two weeks. The partnership of organizations supported more than 350 local events across the city.
In 2006, Hyder Consulting organized a number of activities for a week including getting rid of plastics cups and introducing glasses and mugs; buying reusable bags for staff to avoid using disposable plastic bags for lunch; wearing green for a pound a day where money raised went to charity; monitoring the use of printers by asking staff not to make photocopies needlessly – with a prize for the department that used the least amount of paper; a sustainable travel to work day where staff were encouraged to use public transport, car share, walking or biking and therefore be eligible for a free breakfast; and having a staff children's drawing competition about deserts and the environment. The London office organized a raffle to raise awareness and donations for every drink taken from the kitchen that day to remind staff of the value of water.

In 2006, the Church of England launched the first stage of 'Shrinking the Footprint' a major environmental campaign, which began by measuring the current energy use of its 16,000 churches and planning on how to reduce it in the future. The Church works with the Conservation Foundation on environmental initiatives and the Foundation used 5 June to launch a funding scheme to help local community environmental projects throughout the UK with the support of a mobile phone company. The Foundation prepared a script for the BBC on the subject of World Environment Day, which included details of the main theme for the day.

Merseyside
On 4 June 2006 at Mersey Ferries Seacombe Ferry Terminal and on 5 June at Merseytravel's headquarters, Merseytravel invited its staff and the public to attend an exhibition. The event offered participants an opportunity to find out what they can do at home and at work to protect the environment, e.g. where they can get grants and volunteer, how they can save energy and water, pick up freebies such as energy saving light bulbs and 'Save a Flushes' and more. Participants found out what NGOs, local groups and Merseytravel are doing to help the environment. A staff photography competition was held and the winning photographs were displayed at the exhibition. Attendees were given the chance to make a pledge to 'Promise the Earth' and to highlight the need to cut down water use. There was also a themed quiz with the winning prize being a water butt for collecting rainwater, and the on-site restaurant sold special dishes over the week.

In 2006, Newcastle City Council teamed up with the 12th Annual Newcastle Community Green Festival, and the Environment Agency to organize a range of exciting events and activities across the City. The Green Festival was held on 3 and 4 June and attracted over 12,000 visitors. More than 25 environmental projects and organizations were involved. BBC Radio Newcastle and other media conducted live broadcasts from the Fair. Other activities included: a ‘River-Bank Raid’, where volunteers pull rubbish out from the banks of the River Tyne during low tide; a community litter-pick in the City; and a Public Transport, Clean Green Alternative conference on 5 June. An information pack was produced to provide teachers with information and resources about deserts and desertification. The Environment Agency produced a WED pack for local businesses and information promoting WED was distributed at the Newcastle Farmers' Market on 2 June.

Preston
Lancashire County Council Environment Directorate celebrated World Environment Day 2005 on 2 June, with the opening of the Vertical Composting Unit pilot plant, which processes rotting kitchen waste. On 3 June, an 18-hectare land reclamation scheme in Fleetwood, Wyre also opened. This has transformed a redundant power station site into a leisure and recreational facility known as Fleetwood Marsh Nature Park.

Scotland
In 2006, the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) Green Team called for volunteers to join the clean up of the city centre. The event was an opportunity to raise awareness of the public, businesses, tourists and the community at large to the need to keep Edinburgh clean. Members of the Green Team hoped that their actions would show the community how big an issue litter has become. Littered streets damage business and tourism opportunities and costs Scottish Council taxpayers £65 million a year to clean them. In conjunction with the Keep Scotland Tidy initiative and Visit Scotland and to raise awareness on the adverse effects of litter on the natural environment and to local tourism, EICC provided biodegradable litterbags to conference delegates.

Swansea
In 2006, Swansea Women's Centre had an open afternoon where women were provided with information on how they can reduce their environmental footprint, sell sustainable products and provide local organic food buffet.

Surrey
Stocksigns, a Surrey-based sign company, which manufactures bespoke and standard signage participated in World Environment Day 2004 by organizing activities for staff on 11 June. The aim was to increase environmental efforts within the company and to raise money for the local charity – Wildlife Aid – which is involved in the rescue and rehabilitation of sick and injured British wildlife. Activities included: a staff car-sharing scheme; promotion of a recycling scheme (incorporating domestic recycling, plastic and aerosols); construction of bird tables at the back of the factory; books and clothes swaps; a cake stall; and staff donations to ‘dress down’.

Telford
In 2006, Epson Telford Limited challenged Telford primary schools (final year pupils) to create posters that reflect the Don’t Desert Drylands! initiative. The top three schools received Epson printers and equipment as prizes and the winning pupils were given an appropriate prize to acknowledge their creativity.

West Sussex
In 2006, Quest Overseas challenged local primary schools to create pictures that reflect deserts. Quest’s Research and Education manager visited the schools to hand out prizes and talk on the subject with particular reference to the project run in Kenya by the organization which is helping to provide year round water to small rural villages. Winning pupils were awarded prizes and also had trees planted in Kenya on their behalf.

UZBEKISTAN

Tashkent
The International Fund of Ecology and Health organized on 1-10 June, a festival to commemorate World Environment Day 2004. ECOSAN's initiative was supported by the Government and was in line with its large-scale activities held throughout the Republic. Activities included thematic exhibitions, a flower exhibition, painting competitions, presentations on ecology and health, and meetings and film showings on the environment at recreation camps and city and rural parks. A series of TV and radio programmes on environmental protection were also organized.
On 5 June, the popular morning radio show Assalom, Uzbekistani! devoted its entire programme to the environment, while the Yoshlar radio station, which broadcasts to all of Uzbekistan and neighbouring countries, organized an ecological radio-marathon.

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