This year’s World Environment Day Theme: “Reimagine, Recreate, Restore”

Cyprus International University (CIU) Faculty of Engineering Academic Staff Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şifa Doğan, advised that World Environment Day was declared by United Nations and that each year on the 5th June, this day is celebrated by countries, institutions, establishments, and individuals, who come together and put forward environmental issues and make a call for cooperation in order to raise awareness.

Explaining that this year the theme is “Reimagine, Recreate, Restore” within the framework of World Environment Day, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Doğan stated that within this scope, awareness raising campaigns and events were organized.

Pointing out that today many negative consequences are experienced due to the destructive actions upon the environment on both a national and international scale, Doğan stated that in this regard, seasonal changes, the melting of glaciers, reduction in biological diversity, as well as many other examples can be listed.

Stating that it is impossible to turn back time, Doğan went on to say, "By maintaining the current level of awareness and with compliance to legal regulations, we can enable our world to be transferred to the future generations at a more livable standard”.

Noting that 80% of untreated wastewater is released into the rivers and oceans globally, Doğan added that on average, 4.7 hectares of forest area is destroyed each year.

Also speaking in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic that has been experienced across the world, Şifa Doğan continued “The world population increased rapidly. With the urbanization that developed in connection to this, living spaces for other living things reduced. The Covid-19 pandemic developed as a result of all of these developments experienced, and thus, shows us what an ideal environment we have created for disease causing organisms”.

Stating that the human health and well-being can only be possible with a healthy environment, Doğan concluded that steps taken at the national and international levels will shape our future world.