Earth Day should be a day of reflection says commissioner

Earth Day should not be seen as a day of celebration but of reflection of what the Earth offers us and how we treat it, Environment commissioner Klelia Vassiliou said on Thursday, as the international day is marked around the world annually on April 22.

“We work for this day every day,” she said.

“Turning to the circular economy is the only way,” she added, adding we have to work together with the European Union towards the European Green Agreement and need to take environmental legislation, contracts and agreements seriously.

“We produce pollutants, which become the air we breathe. We contaminate the earth with reckless use of pesticides, uncontrolled dumping of rubbish and waste, and these become the water we drink and the food we consume.”

Major issues such as biodiversity protection and restoration, food security, soil health, water and air quality are a priority and it is clear what we need to do, she concluded.

“We are working together to restore the Earth. We all coexist and we must restore our common home, in which we are guests.”