Earth Day 2022 - live: Global protests staged as WHO says keep fossil fuels in ground
Follow live as Earth Day 2022 is celebrated across the globe
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Your support makes all the difference.Global protests are taking place to mark Earth Day, a global event to celebrate and mobilise in support of protecting the environment.
This has included a blockade by Extinction Rebellion members at a printing works for major US newspapers - including The New York Times and Wall Street Journal - in a protest against media climate coverage. The group said 15 activists were arrested.
Other rallies are taking place across the US and the world, including planned demonstrations against Russian fossil fuels in Europe.
Many other events are being held across the globe to celebrate the 52nd annual event for the environment, including talks, film screenings and local litter picking events.
Earth Day 2022 has a theme of “Invest in our Planet” with a focus on encouraging individuals, businesses and world leaders to invest and switch to greener technologies and practices.
The World Health Organisation called for fossil fuels to “stay in the ground” to prevent air pollution as it tweeted about the annual day for the environment.
George Ezra donates to National Trust
George Ezra donates to National Trust
George Ezra and YouTube have made a donation to the National Trust to plant around 17,000 trees across the UK.
The 28-year-old singer-songwriter, whose hits include Shotgun and Budapest, said he hoped to play a part in tackling the climate crisis and environmental decline.
The new woodland will lock in carbon, help reduce flooding and create homes for wildlife, the National Trust said.
The charity, founded in 1895, has committed to planting or establishing 20 million trees covering an area the size of Birmingham as part of its plan to become net-zero by 2030.
Read more below:
George Ezra donates to National Trust to plant 17,000 trees across UK
Singer-songwriter is working with YouTube Music as its sustainability partner for 2022
Bangkok protests
Protesters have taken to the streets in Bangkok in Thailand for Earth Day.
See here:
Rail travel Q&A event with expert Simon Calder
What better time to delve into the world of one of the greenest forms of travel on Earth Day?
This is exactly what our travel Simon Calder will be doing this afternoon. He will be on hand to answer all your rail travel questions in an ‘Ask me anything’ event today between 1 and 2pm.
Find more information on how to get involved here:
Ask Me Anything: Simon Calder to answer your travel questions live on Earth Day
The Independent’s travel expert is on hand to answer your queries on all things rail travel, both in the UK and abroad
US president marks Earth Day will landmark order on old-growth forests
The US president is marking Earth Day with a trip to lush but fire-prone Washington state and the signing of an executive order to protect old-growth forests.
This order create the first-ever inventory of old-growth forests - key to absorbing carbon dioxide from the air - on federal lands and develop a plan to conserve them.
It will also task diplomats with doing more to combat deforestation abroad, the White House said.
Reuters
Time-lapseimages show impact of climate crisis
New time-lapse images released by Google to mark Earth Day have revealed the devastating impact of climate change around the world.
Satellite pictures for the 2022 Earth Day Google doodle reveal melting glaciers, deforestation and coral bleaching in the past few decades.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain has the full story:
Google releases time-lapse pictures showing impact of climate change
From melting glaciers, deforestation and coral bleaching, Google doodle comes with serious message about global warming
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Climate crisis demands system-wide change - here is how to help
If you are looking for how to help the environment to tackle the climate crisis this Earth Day, look no further.
“In a world built around fossil fuels, it’s much harder to opt out of pollution and emissions than it is to opt in,” Ethan Freedman, our climate reporter, writes.
“But here’s what is possible: pressuring your government, political leaders and public officials to making sweeping changes on climate, from city infrastructure to national energy policy.”
He takes a look at how to help set system-wide change in motion here:
How to make leaders listen on the climate emergency
Recycling is one thing – but the climate crisis demands system-wide change
How to avoid the greenwash while trying to invest in the planet
The theme of this Earth Day is all about investing in the planet.
Money editor Kate Hughes writes: “When it comes to the financial world, plagued by perhaps the most rampant greenwashing of any industry, that seems a deliberately difficult task.”
She has put together a guide to help navigate this:
Earth Day 2022: How to invest in our planet
Our guide to investing sustainably without falling for the greenwash. By Kate Hughes
Why have XR launched a blockade on US newspaper printing plant?
The group have released a statement explaining the blockade, aimed at disrupting the distribution of three major US titles: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.
Extinction Rebellion NYC said:
“By failing to cover the climate emergency with the depth and frequency it warrants, the media is enabling the government’s gaslighting of the public – making it easy for government to act like the climate and ecological crisis is years away, ignore scientists’ urgent calls to action, and refuse to take the steps we need to start transforming our systems from finite and fragile to strong and resilient.”
Its full statement on the protest is here:
Poems for Earth Day
Earth Day is supposed to offer us an opportunity to celebrate our planet, and not merely serve as another day to remind us how badly we are abusing it, Harry Cockburn, our environment correspondent, writes.
To emphasise that what we have is worth taking concerted action to protect, writers for The Independent have chosen some of their favourite poems which relate in some way to the natural world.
Take a look:
Poems to celebrate Earth Day 2022, selected by Independent writers
To remind us of the wonder of the natural world
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