World Environment Day 2014:The International Year of Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
The UN General Assembly declared 5th June 2014 as the International Year of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). World Environment 
Day (Wednesday) 2014 will be celebrated under the theme of SIDS, with the goal of raising awareness of their unique development challenges and successes regarding a range of environmental problems, including climate change, waste management, unsustainable consumption, degradation of natural resources, and extreme natural disasters.
The World Environment Day celebration began in 1972 and has grown to become one of the main vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action.World Environment Day is an annual event that is aimed at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action. World Environment Day activities take place all year round and climax on 5 June every year, involving everyone from everywhere.
In support of the UN designation of 2014 Wednesday this year will adopt SIDS in the broader context of climate change as its theme. Green Cameroon’s objectives are to help build momentum towards the Third International Conference on SIDS in September and encourage a greater understanding of the importance of SIDS and of the urgency to help protect the islands in the face of growing risks and vulnerabilities, particularly as a result of climate change. We believe Wednesday will be an excellent opportunity to raise a call for solidarity with the islands.
Climate change is a major challenge for Green Cameroon, as global warming is causing not only ocean levels to rise but has other negative effects on mankind. Due to their small size and isolation, SIDS is more vulnerable to natural and environmental disasters, climate change and sea-level rise. However, this NGO have also been successful in overcoming environmental problems. Through World Environment Day, the Green Cameroon Environment Program would be able to personalize environmental issues and enable everyone to realize not only their responsibility, but also their power to become agents for change in support of sustainable and equitable development.
How will you make your voice heard this year for the environment? The call this year is to recognize that we all face the same challenges and are connected and united by our common goal of a sustainable and prosperous life for all on this planet. The call is to raise our voice in solidarity with one another, particularly with the citizens of the small island states. Whether it is to organize clean up campaigns, food waste reduction initiatives, walk-to-work days, plastic bands, art exhibits, tree-planting drives, concerts, dance recitals, recycling drives, social media campaigns and different contests – every action counts. When multiplied by a global chorus, our individual voices and actions become exponential in its impact.
Happy World Environment day
Njeke Joshua Egbe, Green Cameroon.
