“Ecosystem Restoration” is the theme of World Environment Day 2025

June 5 — World Environment Day. The theme for 2025 is “Ecosystem Restoration.” This day was established by the United Nations in 1972 and has since become a key date for everyone working to conserve nature, protect biodiversity, and ensure a sustainable future for humanity.

Each year, World Environment Day highlights one critical theme. In 2025, the theme is ecosystem restoration, and it is extremely relevant for Ukraine and the world as a whole.

What are ecosystems, and why do they need to be restored? Ecosystems are interconnected systems of living and non-living nature: forests, rivers, lakes, wetlands, steppes, oceans, soils, and urban green spaces. They provide us with clean water and air, food, a stable climate, and protection from natural disasters. However, due to human activity, many of them are now threatened with extinction or have been completely destroyed. The main causes of degradation are: – overexploitation of natural resources, – intensive agriculture, – deforestation, – environmental pollution from chemicals and plastic, – climate change, – urbanization, – and, in the Ukrainian context, — war.

The war in Ukraine has dealt a devastating blow to the environment: thousands of hectares of forest have been destroyed, water bodies and soil have been poisoned, national parks have been ravaged, and fields and forests have been mined. According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, more than 30% of protected areas have been affected by hostilities. Therefore, for us, the issue of ecosystem restoration is not only a global challenge but also a matter of survival.

Restoration is not simply a return to the past. It is a conscious rethinking of our interaction with nature. This means: – cleaning and restoring rivers, wetlands, and water bodies, – reforesting areas and preserving remnants of virgin forests, – reclaiming contaminated lands, – protecting soils from erosion, – creating green infrastructure in cities, – restoring biodiversity where it has been lost.

Each of us can be part of this process. Restoration begins with the decisions we make every day: – supporting local farmers who work in harmony with nature, – choosing eco-friendly transportation, – reducing our use of single-use items, – participating in tree-planting or riverbank cleanup efforts, – spreading awareness about environmental issues and solutions.

Ecosystem restoration is not a temporary campaign but a long-term strategy that requires the participation of everyone: governments, communities, businesses, scientists, and citizens. We don’t have a second chance on this planet. Nature provides us with everything we need to live. Now is the time to return the favor—and take part in restoring it.