World Water Day
Water and climate change are inextricably linked. From unpredictable rainfall patterns to shrinking ice sheets, rising sea levels, floods and droughts 鈥 most impacts of climate change come down to water. Water is also at the heart of adaptation to climate change, serving as the crucial link between the climate system, human society and the environment. Learn more about the relationship between water and climate change here.
International Day of Forests
Preserving and restoring forests is essential for achieving the world鈥檚 climate goals. Healthy forests act as carbon sinks absorbing millions of tons of carbon dioxide each year, which helps regulate the planet鈥檚 temperature. Forests are also critical ecosystems, providing habitats for over half of the world鈥檚 land-based species and livelihoods for over one billion people. Learn more about forests, land and climate change.
World Day for Glaciers 2025
Glaciers are critical to life 鈥 their meltwater is essential for drinking water, agriculture, industry, clean energy production and healthy ecosystems. As the planet gets hotter, our frozen world is shrinking, making the water cycle more unpredictable, with profound impacts on people and the planet. We must work together to put glacier preservation at the core of our plans to tackle climate change and the global water crisis.
Sustainable Energy for All Global Forum
Energy is at the heart of the climate challenge 鈥 and key to the solution. Under the theme of 鈥淪ustainable Energy for Equity, Security and Prosperity鈥, the Sustainable Energy for All Global Forum will focus on the imperative for a just and equitable energy transition that delivers climate progress while ending energy poverty and forging development opportunities for low- and middle-income countries and Small Island Developing States.
International Women's Day
The climate crisis does not affect everyone equally. Women and girls face disproportionate impacts from climate change. Given their position on the frontlines of the climate crisis, women are uniquely situated to be agents of change to mitigate the causes of global warming and adapt to its impacts on the ground.
World Wetlands Day
Climate change is heavily impacting wetlands through more severe and frequent droughts and increased evaporation due to higher temperatures. At the same time, the loss of wetlands could worsen the impact of climate change, as these ecosystems provide essential services that mitigate the effects of climate change.
International Day of Clean Energy
Energy is at the heart of the climate challenge 鈥 and key to the solution. To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, greenhouse gas emissions need to be reduced by almost half by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. To achieve this, we need to end our reliance on fossil fuels and invest in alternative sources of energy that are clean, accessible, affordable, sustainable, and reliable.
Launch of the International Year of Glaciers Preservation
Glaciers are crucial for regulating the global climate and providing freshwater, essential for billions of people. However, due to climate change, these vital resources are rapidly melting. The International Year focuses on providing concrete recommendations to address climate change impacts, advocating and raising funds for more ambitious action, and convening countries and communities affected by glacier loss.
UN Desertification Conference
This UN Conference will be a critical milestone in advancing global efforts to combat land degradation, desertification and drought, and promote sustainable development. Under the theme 鈥淥ur Land. Our Future,鈥 the conference will convene 196 countries and the European Union along with experts and civil society to promote urgent action. It is expected to be the largest and most ambitious summit on land and drought resilience, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.
UN Climate Conference
The Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, is expected to focus on finance, as trillions of dollars are required for countries to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect lives and livelihoods from the worsening impacts of climate change. The conference is also a key moment for countries to present their updated national climate action plans under the Paris agreement, which must limit global warming to 1.5掳颁 above pre-industrial levels and spur investment in the Sustainable Development Goals.
UN Biodiversity Conference
The Earth鈥檚 land and the ocean serve as natural carbon sinks, absorbing large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. Conserving and restoring natural spaces, and the biodiversity they contain, is essential for limiting greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate impacts.Countries will meet at the UN Biodiversity Conference in Cali, Colombia, to accelerate action under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the reached in 2022.
World Food Day
This year鈥檚 World Food Day promotes the right to foods for a better life and a better future. More than 780 million people around the world are hungry, and 2.8 billion cannot afford to eat a healthy diet. Global hunger and malnutrition are exacerbated by climate change, which can increase droughts, damage farmland and threaten coastal fisheries. At the same time, agrifood systems cause pollution, degrade the soil, water and air, and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more about the links between food and climate change here.
International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction
The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction this year focuses on the role of education in protecting and empowering youth for a disaster-free future. Climate change is causing more frequent and intense extreme weather and climate鈥搑elated disasters, resulting in widespread adverse impacts and related losses and damages to nature and people. Cost-effective and reliable measures to protect lives and livelihoods from hazards such as floods, heatwaves, storms and tsunamis include early warning systems.Learn more here.
World Habitat Day
This year鈥檚 World Habitat Day is devoted to engaging youth to create a better urban future. Cities are critical actors in the climate crisis. Estimates suggest that urban areas are responsible for 70% of global carbon emissions, with transport and buildings being among the largest contributors. By 2050, cities are expected to house about 68% of the global population. Economic development and rising prosperity are expected to contribute to increasing greenhouse gas emissions in cities
International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste
Reducing food waste helps fight climate change. Almost 1 billion tons of food 鈥 17% of all food available to consumers worldwide 鈥 goes into trash bins every year. Producing, transporting, and letting that food rot contribute more than 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. When you throw away food, you鈥檙e also wasting the energy, land, water, and fertilizer that was used to produce, package, and transport it. If you do need to throw out food, make sure to compost. Learn more here.
High-level Meeting on Sea-Level Rise
There is unequivocal evidence that our planet is warming due to human activities 鈥 and sea levels are rising 鈥 at unprecedented rates in at least the last 2,000-3,000 years. Global warming-induced sea level rise is affecting the lives and livelihoods of coastal communities and low-lying island nations around the world today, and it is accelerating. The climate actions and decisions taken by policymakers in the coming months and years will determine how devastating these impacts become and how soon they will manifest in the future.
Summit of the Future
The Summit brings world leaders together to accelerate efforts to meet existing international commitments, and take concrete steps to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities. The Summit aims to mend eroded trust and forge a new international consensus that demonstrates that international cooperation can effectively achieve agreed goals and tackle emerging threats and opportunities - for the sake of all humanity and future generations.
World Cleanup Day
The first UN World Cleanup Day will mobilize people around the world to clean up streets, parks, beaches, forests, rivers, shores and seas of carelessly discarded waste and plastic rubbish. Every year, people throw out 2 billion tons of trash. About a third causes environmental harms, from choking water supplies to poisoning soil. Humans, animals and plants all suffer from land and water contaminated by improperly discarded garbage.Lean more here about what you can do for a healthy planet.
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
The Montreal Protocol, adopted in 1987, united the world to phase out ozone-depleting substances and put the ozone layer on a path to recovery, protecting all life on Earth. This year鈥檚 World Ozone Day celebrates this success story for multilateralism and highlights how phasing out ozone-depleting substances has also proven to be a powerful tool for slowing global warming, with the potential to further advance climate action now and in the years to come.
International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies
Pollution from the burning of fossil fuels is among the most toxic types of air pollution. Shifting away from fossil fuels could prevent the 1.2 million deaths a year resulting from exposure to fossil fuel-derived pollution. Tackling air pollution 鈥 by investing in renewable energy 鈥 creates a 鈥渄ouble opportunity鈥 to both clear the air and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protecting the health of people and the planet.
