More Than 1 Billion People Will Be Involved in Earth Day

ThisEarth Day,April 22, more than one billion people in 192 countries will take action to protect our shared environment. 

All across the globe, from big cities to small villages, people are organizing, demanding climate action, cleaning up their local communities, meeting with their elected officials, planting trees, and teaching their children to protect our planet.

In a rare and unprecedented event, United Nations Secretary GeneralBan Ki-moon has invited every world leader to the United Nations to officially sign the Paris Climate Agreement reached last December.

BothChina andthe United States– the two largest carbon emitters worldwide - have confirmed that they will sign that day. It is no coincidence that the agreement is being opened for signatures onApril 22,Earth Day.

"Earth Dayis the largest, most recognizable face of the environmental movement," saidKathleen Rogers, president ofEarth DayNetwork. "Millions of people the world over will become lifelong environmentalists on Earth Day. Hundreds of thousands will be children – our planet's future. They will join the more than 1 billion people who already useEarth Dayto focus on the urgent need to stabilize and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change."

This yearEarth DayNetwork is focusing on planting new trees and forests worldwide. As we begin the countdown toEarth Day's 50^thanniversary in 2020, EDN is pledging to plant7.8 billion trees worldwide– one for every person on Earth! That's ambitious, but this down-payment must be made in order to combat climate change and keep our most vulnerable ecosystems from extinction.

"We have no higher priority this year than to make surethe United States,China,India,Russia, the EU, and all the largest CO₂emitters sign the Paris Agreement to prove that what happened inPariswas not all talk. Signing the Paris Agreement thisEarth Dayat the United Nations is just the beginning," Rogers said. "That, coupled with our global activities, will make this the largest, most significantEarth Dayin years and a perfect start in our countdown toEarth Day2020, our 50^th!"

For information aboutEarth Dayactivities in your community contact 202-518-0044 or to schedule an interview contact 202-355-8875