Big news: the Earth Day 2019 focus will be to Protect Our Species.

Many of us have seen images of enormous flocks of birds congregating in marshes, herds of wildebeest, zebra, and Thomson’s gazelle migrating through Africa, along with our most iconic species–tigers, elephants, giraffes, and rhinos. All of these species are imperiled. But it’s not just endangered species we should care about — land animals, sea creatures, and plants around the world have seen their numbers severely reduced.

All of our plants and animals have value in themselves and are part of the web of life. Our lives and theirs are linked together inextricably — without them, our own species might not survive.

The Facts: Declining and Endangered Species

• Land-dwelling wildlife species have declined by 40% since 1970.
• Marine animal populations have fallen by 40% overall.
• Birds populations have been reduced by about 20-25%.
• Freshwater animal populations have plummeted by 75% since 1970.
• Insect populations have also declined dramatically. In Germany alone, insects have declined by 75% in the last 30 years.
• Almost fifty percent of the world’s coral reefs have died in the last 30 years.

We need to do better. That is why Earth Day Network is undertaking a campaign to elevate understanding and foster action to stop the decimation of species around the globe.

The Challenge: Engaging the Public to Protect Our Species 

To create a more sustainable future, we need every human being to recognize the right of all species to exist, and to do so in their natural habitat, at the population size necessary to maintain their species and their genetic variation.

We’re all connected: We need to collectively support natural ecosystems, so they can continue to sustain life on earth. We need a process of development that protects natural ecosystems, so they can continue to provide the environmental services needed to sustain life on earth.

We’re working to build a world filled with educated and ethical individuals who:

• Understand the intrinsic value of our species
• Realize the loss of biodiversity and ecosystems is the consequence of human actions
• Commit to helping protect our species and their ecosystems in their communities and across the globe
• Help us protect save iconic species from extinction

The Plans for Earth Day 2019: Protect Our Species

Our goal for Earth Day 2019 is to promote a global conservation ethic and garner more support for the protection of our species. To do this, Earth Day Network will implement project and campaigns in the following areas:

• Education and awareness
• Inspirational policy victories to save iconic species
• Individual action/behavioral changes

Learn more about why we need to protect all species

Find out more from our fact sheet on declining species

Take action to

Sign up for updates about our plans for Earth Day 2019

ABOUT EARTH DAY NETWORK:

Earth Day Network’s mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Growing out of the first Earth Day, Earth Day Network is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 50,000 partners in nearly 192 countries to build environmental democracy. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. We work through a combination of education, public policy, and consumer campaigns.

The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. The passage of the landmark Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and many other groundbreaking environmental laws soon followed. Twenty years later, Earth Day went global, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting environmental issues onto the world stage.