Awareness Call on World Environment Day

Sustainable Production and Consumption Association called on World Environment Day, 5 June, to recognize the value of each other and all species in our world, drawing attention to species extinction, and the need to restore and protect nature The theme for World Environment Day on 5 June was selected as biodiversity. This is because, according to the general consensus of scientists, of the 13 million species of plants, animals and microorganisms on Earth, 1 million species of this richness that makes our lives unique are gradually disappearing. Attributing this crime to humans, Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu, Faculty Member at Istanbul Technical University and Chair of the Sustainable Production and Consumption Association (SÜT-D), stated: "Humans who pollute their environment, change their climate and disrupt natural balances face food security, water supply and health problems. To stop this trend, it is necessary to repair, restore and protect ecosystems."

World Environment Day celebrated through digital campaign

Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu said: "The United Nations General Assembly designated 2021-2030 as the 'UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration,' and it was planned that in 2020 a full mobilization would be undertaken for biodiversity, and that we would hear and amplify the voice of our planet. But now the coronavirus is part of our lives. Due to the global pandemic, World Environment Day is being celebrated through a digital campaign. Under the hashtag 'ForNature', it is important that in the digital sphere we provide widespread information and participation on how all species and living things in our world are interconnected, and the necessity of restoring and continuously protecting our nature. Let us participate in the campaign."

"We must not interfere with biodiversity and the natural food chain"

Biological disaster is our planet's cry, and our health has become our priority. This tiny virus in our vast world, acting as a trigger, has also brought what we have done to our planet to our agenda. We have learned, through pain and loss, that our planet's health is the most important determining factor for human health and a healthy economy. Prof. Karaosmanoğlu, who says that humans who have changed their nature must learn from such changes in their lives, stated: "For our lives and economies to reach prosperity, our planet must first reach prosperity. Healthy life is possible only on a healthy planet. We must stop interfering with biodiversity and the natural food chain. Every species in our world should live in its own ecosystem. We must know that species depend on each other, and that we cannot touch the habitats of small and large creatures. Our nature possesses perfectly designed life engineering. A small intervention in this design can completely alter our nature." She added this warning.

"Green economy"

Dr. Karaosmanoğlu, saying it is now time for recovery for our country and our planet to be resilient to all future health, environment and climate change problems, stated: "If industry and investments progress with a green economy—defined as an economy that achieves human welfare while reducing inequalities in the long term without exposing future generations to significant environmental risks and ecological scarcities—we will not encounter new crises. Let us not be afraid. Let us live consciously. Let us never forget that every production, every consumption has a cost both to our wallets and to our beautiful world, and that sustainable living is a necessity. Humans are the dominant species. Human health, happiness, welfare and comfort are the goal. However, humans are also a mortal member of biodiversity. We must recognize the value of each other and all species. Biodiversity is the balance of our world. We must live in harmony with nature. We cannot remove the building blocks of nature. To change, we must transform. We must recover. Ignoring and forgetting will not work. If we do not change, nature's new answers may make today seem like a blessing. Now is the time for humans who have changed their environment and climate to change themselves based on science."