Earth Day 2020: Greta Thunberg, David Attenborough, Barack Obama and more send messages as millions protest online
Updates on this year's modified events focusing on climate action after mass gatherings were cancelled following the coronavirus outbreak
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Dozens of prominent figures including former President Barack Obama, the Pope, youth activist Greta Thunberg and naturalist Sir David Attenborough have shared messages on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.
President Trump took part in a tree-planting ceremony with First Lady Melania at the White House but was mocked for his efforts after he has continually called the climate crisis a “hoax” and failed to take action to tackle it.
Thunberg, who helped inspire millions of youth activists with her Fridays For Future school strikes, tweeted: “Every day is #EarthDay. The changes needed to safeguard future living conditions for all species won’t come from governments or businesses. It will come from the best available science and public opinion. So it’s up to us. Spread the science. #unitebehindthescience”
The first Earth Day on 22 April, 1970 saw 20 million Americans, 10% of the population at the time, demonstrate from coast to coast. Half a century later, millions around the world were expected to take part in the annual day of environmental action to address the huge challenges facing our planet.
This year’s planned in-person gatherings were cancelled after the coronavirus outbreak but the movement pivoted to 72-hours of digital action instead, focusing on the theme of climate action.
Meanwhile, the lockdowns introduced across the world have seen the skies clearing of pollution and wildlife returning to deserted streets, while US oil prices plunged below zero for the first time in history.
Catch-up on events as they happened
Surfers Against Sewage urges public to expose plastic polluters
To mark Earth Day, Surfers Against Sewage is launching a campaign, #ReturnToOffender, urging the public to document plastic pollution on their daily walks during lockdown.
The campaign asks people to upload these photos on social media to challenge companies to tackle the plastic problem.
Live animal markets and wildlife trade continue in Asia amid coronavirus pandemic
In parts of China and regions of Southeast Asia, live animal markets and the wildlife trade continues despite growing international calls for tighter restrictions on “wet” markets and the use of wildlife in traditional medicine.
The novel coronavirus outbreak is believed to have originated at a wildlife market in Wuhan, China and spread to humans due to their close proximity with wild animals.
Read our climate correspondent Louise Boyle's report here:
'We have sinned against the Earth,' Pope says
Pope Francis made an impassioned plea to protect the environment on Earth Day, saying the coronavirus pandemic had shown that some challenges had to be met with a global response.
Francis praised the environmental movement, saying it was necessary for young people to "take to the streets to teach us what is obvious, that is, that there will be no future for us if we destroy the environment that sustains us".
He added that the Earth was not an endless deposit of resources to exploit, saying: "We have sinned against the Earth, against our neighbour and, in the end, against the creator."
Greta Thunberg: Tackle climate crisis and coronavirus together
Greta Thunberg said action to tackle coronavirus did not mean the climate crisis had gone away, as she took part in a livestreamed conversation with climate scientist Johan Rockström.
“Today is Earth Day and that reminds us that climate and the environmental emergency is still ongoing and we need to tackle both the corona pandemic... at the same time as we tackle climate and environmental emergency, because we need to tackle two crises at once,” the 17-year-old climate activist said.
Fears Deepwater Horizon could happen again
A decade on, a group of scientists, conservationists and locals spoke to The Independent about the devastating toll of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the impacts that are still being felt today.
All of them fear that this could happen again, our climate correspondent Louise Boyle writes.
Green party calls for Green New Deal to reboot economy after pandemic
The Green Party has said that a “Green New Deal” has to be central to any post-coronavirus recovery package in the UK.
The party wants to see investment in making all homes warmer and more energy efficient, a rapid roll out of renewable energy and major investments in public transport, which it says would create hundreds of thousands of low carbon jobs.
Oxford University votes to divest from fossil fuels
Oxford University has passed a motion requiring its endowment fund to divest from all direct investments in fossil fuel companies, and end future investment in funds that primarily hold stock in fossil fuel companies.
The resolution, which was passed the day before Earth Day, was hailed as an opportunity to allow Oxford University “to act as a world leader on climate conscious investment”.
The first Earth Day demonstrators wore face masks too
Environmentalist Bill McKibben also pointed out the surgical masks used by Earth Day participants in 1970 due to the air pollution in America at the time.
North pole 'to be ice free during summers before 2050', scientists say
The Arctic Ocean will likely be ice-free during summers before 2050, researchers say.
Amid rapid global warming – with average Arctic temperatures already 2C above what they were in the pre-industrial era – the extent of the sea ice is diminishing ever faster.
Read Harry Cockburn's report here:
Greta's fiery message on Earth Day
Greta Thunberg's Fridays For Future movement posted this fiery public service announcement on Earth Day. It echoed her words at last year's Davos World Economic Forum: "I want you to act as if our house is on fire. Because it is."
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