This Saturday, June 5, 2021 will be World Environment Day. Inaugurated for the first time in 1972 at the opening of the United Nations Conference on the Environment in Stockholm, this day aims to set up various positive ecological actions on a global scale, with the aim of attracting the public’s attention and make them aware of environmental issues.

On the occasion of this day, Takagreen reveals 5 facts that you probably did not know.

– Fact n°1 / Deforestation

4.7 million hectares: this is the number of forests that disappear each year… an area larger than Denmark!

– Fact n°2 / Water treatment

Nearly 80% of wastewater worldwide is discharged untreated.

– Fact 3 / Wetlands and drainage

Drained for agricultural purposes, wetlands have lost around 87% of their global surface area over the past 300 years.

– Fact n°4 / Protection of bogs

Found in more than 180 countries, bogs are essential ecosystems with powerful ecological properties. Although they cover only 3% of the earth’s surface, peat ecosystems store almost 30% of soil carbon on a global scale.

– Fact n°5/ Atmospheric pollution

9 people/10. It is the number of people who breathe polluted air around the world, which damages their health and reduces the lifetime of these people. Every year, about 7 million people die from diseases and infections linked to air pollution, more than five times the number of people who perish in road accidents.

Sources: UNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO), UNESCO and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

For more information, do not hesitate to visit the United Nations website: https://www.un.org/fr/observances/environment-day