"Respect Mother Earth"Ban’says in message for Earth Day

( April 22,2010) Without sustainable environmental base, there is little hope of reducing poverty, hunger and improving Health, United Nations Secretary-General said in his message for Mother Earth Day, celebrated on April 22. Ban ki-Moon said Mother Earth, our only home is under pressure,as we are making progressively unreasonable demands on her, and she is showing the strain. For all of human history, we have depended on nature’s bounty for sustenance, well-being and development but too often we have drawn on nature’s capital without putting back, said Ban. We are now beginning to see the consequences of failing to safeguard our investment, he added.
Ban pointed out that climate change and the depleted ozone layer are among the darkest examples. The incredible variety of life on Earth that sustains us is in rapid decline; fresh water and marine resources are increasingly polluted and soils and once-prolific fisheries are growing barren. The impact of our neglectful stewardship is being felt most by the world’s most vulnerable people, he said.
Stating that environmental sustainability is one of eight Millennium Development Goals and the deadline for achieving the goals is 2015, Ban called on all Governments, businesses and citizens of the world to give our Mother Earth the respect and care she deserves.