Editing Earth Day (section)

== Earth Day 2000–2019 ==
=== Earth Day 2000 ===
The first Earth Day of the new millennium had a focus on [[global warming]] and [[Sustainable energy|clean energy]]. This Earth Day made use of the Internet to help activists communicate. It involved participation from 5,000 environmental groups and activism was done in 184 countries.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The History of Earth Day |url=https://www.earthday.org/history/ |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=Earth Day |language=en}}</ref>

=== Earth Day 2001 ===
Google's first Earth Day doodle was in 2001.<ref name="PopScci-2016">{{Cite news |date=April 22, 2016 |title=15 Years Of Google's Earth Day Doodles |url=https://www.popsci.com/fifteen-years-googles-earth-day-doodles/ |access-date=February 19, 2021 |publisher=popsci.com}}</ref>

=== Earth Day 2003 ===
The theme for Earth Day 2003 was the Water for Life Campaign.  This year, Earth Day Network developed a water quality project called "What's in Your Water?"<ref name="VOA-2003">{{Cite news |date=April 17, 2003 |title=Environmental Report – Earth Day 2003 |url=https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/a-23-a-2003-04-17-1-1-83117072/121678.html |publisher=Voice of America}}</ref> Water-related events were held on every continent, including water workshops, exhibitions, concerts, and more in [[Togo]], [[Egypt]], the [[Cook Islands]], [[Jordan]], [[Palestine]], [[Japan]], [[Venezuela]], [[Slovenia]], [[Nigeria]], and [[Canada]].<ref name="Vanier-2003">{{Cite news |title=Vanier celebrates Earth Day 2003 |url=http://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/audiovisual/slideshow/slideshow116/default.htm |access-date=February 5, 2021 |work=Cégep Vanier College}}</ref><ref name="JapanTravel-2013">{{Cite web |date=June 11, 2013 |title=Earth Day Festival in Tokyo |url=https://en.japantravel.com/tokyo/earth-day-tokyo/4740 |access-date=February 5, 2021 |website=Japan Travel}}</ref><ref name="FEDA-2021">{{Cite web |title=Friends of Environment & Development Association(FEDA) |url=https://www.salto-youth.net/tools/otlas-partner-finding/organisation/feda-friends-of-environment-development-association.2920 |access-date=February 5, 2021 |website=SALTO}}</ref> Educational curricula, teacher's guides, water testing kits, and posters focused on water.

Campaign for Communities, an initiative led by NAACP, Latino organizations including Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project, and other organizations focused on [[environmental justice]], created events focused on low-income communities around the U.S. These events were also focused on building support among low-income communities through clean-ups, park revitalization, and town halls focused on integrating the environmental movement with community and social justice causes.<ref name="Earthday-2021">{{Cite web |title=Campaign for Communities |url=https://www.earthday.org/campaign/campaignforcommunities |access-date=February 4, 2021 |website=earthday.org}}</ref><ref name="Funders-2006">{{Cite web |date=January 2006 |title=Funders' Committee for Civic Participation and Proteus Fund report on the Voter Engagement Evaluation Project |url=https://funderscommittee.org/files/files/media/resources/VEEP-FINAL.pdf |access-date=February 5, 2021 |website=Proteus Fund and Funders' Committee for Civic Participation}}</ref>

=== Earth Day 2004 ===
In the U.S. in 2004, Earth Day Network and its partners focused on voter registration for Earth Day, registering hundreds of thousands of voters.<ref name="Earthday-2016">{{Cite web |date=March 14, 2016 |title=Time to Invest in Future Environmental Voter of Color |url=https://www.earthday.org/time-invest-future-environmental-voters-color |access-date=February 5, 2021 |website=earthday.org}}</ref><ref name="Gearino-2004">{{Cite news |date=April 22, 2004 |title=Earth Day shifts to ballot box |url=https://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/earth-day-shifts-to-ballot-box/article_f46d06ab-3afe-5b83-bbb5-734bfdfe8b8f.html |work=Casper Start Tribune}}</ref> Major tree planting events also took place. Other prominent U.S. Earth Day events included an annual [[Clean-up (environment)|cleanup]] in Dayton, Ohio and the ''3rd Annual Community Based Solutions to Environmental Health & Justice Conference'' in [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]].<ref name="GWConsortium-2021">{{Cite web |title=Great Miami River Cleanup |url=https://gwconsortium.org/public-education/great-miami-river-cleanup |access-date=February 5, 2021 |website=The Groundwater Consortium}}</ref><ref name="Tickets-2021">{{Cite web |title=Community Coalition for Environmental Justice's Fifth Annual Conference |url=https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4251 |access-date=February 5, 2021 |via=Brown Paper Tickets}}</ref>

=== Earth Day 2005 ===
The theme for Earth Day 2005 was Healthy Environments for Children.<ref name="EarthDay-2005">{{Cite news |date=April 23, 2005 |title=Earth Day 2005 |url=https://www.newstimes.com/news/article/earth-day-2005-119429.php |access-date=2013-08-15 |work=newstimes}}</ref>

=== Earth Day 2006 ===
Earth Day 2006 focused on science and faith. Earth Day expanded into Europe for Earth Day 2006, and events and speeches were held in most of the EU countries.  Key events included the "Festival on Climate Change" in Utrecht, the Netherlands, which was focused on "How to break away from the oil dependence," and included Earth Day founder Denis Hayes and members of the Dutch and E.U. parliament, NGOs, local authorities, and media representatives.  In the first of two years of Earth Day events in Ukraine, Denis Hayes also attended and spoke at the "Chernobyl 20 Remembrance for the Future" conference in [[Kyiv]], [[Ukraine]].<ref name="Conf-CH20-2021">{{Cite web |title=An International Conference in Kyiv, Ukraine |url=https://www.ch20.org |access-date=February 5, 2021 |website=Chornobyl Remembrance for the Future}}</ref> 2006 also saw events in China organized between Earth Day Network and Global Village Beijing educating communities about energy savings, the first-ever coordinated Earth Day events in Moscow, Russia, a scientific panel and a religious response panel on climate change throughout the U.S., and a "Conserve Your Energy" event in Philadelphia.<ref name="YaleNews-2006">{{Cite web |date=October 26, 2006 |title=Ambassador to Beijing Olympics to Speak at Yale |url=https://news.yale.edu/2006/10/26/ambassador-beijing-olympics-speak-yale |access-date=February 5, 2021 |website=YaleNews}}</ref><ref name="PHA-2021">{{Cite web |title=PHA Uses Earth Day to Begin New Energy Conservation Program |url=http://www.pha.phila.gov/pha-news/pha-news/2006/pha-uses-earth-day-to-begin-new-energy-conservation-program.aspx |access-date=February 11, 2021 |website=Philadelphia Housing Authority}}</ref>

=== Earth Day 2007 ===
Thousands of Earth Day projects were held across the globe that ranged from energy efficiency events, protests, letter writing campaigns, civic and environmental K–12 education trainings, urban and rural [[Clean-up (environment)|cleanups]], and water projects with a particular focus on building a broader and more diverse environmental movement.<ref name="Ecologist-2007">{{Cite web |date=April 19, 2007 |title=Earth Day 2007 |url=https://theecologist.org/2007/apr/19/earth-day-2007 |access-date=February 8, 2021 |website=The Ecologist}}</ref> Major events took place in [[Kyiv]], Ukraine; [[Caracas]], Venezuela; [[Tuvalu]]; Philippines; Togo; and [[Madrid]], Spain.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

In the US, civil rights, religious, and social justice leaders joined Earth Day Network the week of April 16 through April 20 to demand Congress on behalf of their communities and their constituencies that there be no "grandfathering" of pollution permits, that an immediate reduction in carbon emissions be imposed through legislation and that all revenues generated from a carbon tax or a government auction of carbon permits be used for public benefit. Earth Day Network partnered with [[Green Apple Music & Arts Festival]] to mark Earth Day with weekend-long events featuring music and entertainment in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago.<ref name="SFGate-2007">{{Cite news |date=April 23, 2007 |title=Earth Day 2007 Green party in the parks |url=https://www.sfgate.com/green/article/EARTH-DAY-2007-Green-party-in-the-parks-2563883.php |access-date=February 8, 2021 |via=SFGATE}}</ref> More than 200,000 people attended the events and millions of people were reached through the media.

The ''Global Warming in the Pulpit Pledge campaign'' which mobilized priests, ministers, rabbis, and other faith leaders across the U.S. and Canada to make a commitment to preach on global climate change as a moral issue was launched.<ref name="AmProgress-2009">{{Cite web |date=April 22, 2009 |title=21 Ways Faith Groups Are Combating Global Warming].'' Center for American Progress |url=https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/religion/news/2009/04/22/5913/21-ways-faith-groups-are-combating-global-warming |access-date=February 10, 2021}}</ref> Later in 2007, [[Live Earth (2007 concert)|Live Earth]], a global music event, was held across the world.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

=== Earth Day 2008 ===
Earth Day 2008 galvanized millions of people around the world in a Call For Climate. In the U.S., the campaign challenged the public to make one million calls to Congress about pushing for climate change legislation.<ref name="Russell-2008">{{Cite web |date=April 22, 2008 |title=Green Thumb: Earth Day USA |url=https://archives.cjr.org/the_observatory/green_thumb_earth_day_usa.php |access-date=February 10, 2021 |website=Columbia Journalism Review}}</ref> 2008 also included large climate rallies in eight major U.S. cities, including Washington, D.C., New York, Miami, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, to which around 350,000 people attended. Washington, D.C., hosted actor Edward Norton, Thomas Friedman of the New York Times, and James Hansen of NASA to deliver a strong global warming message and call for tough and fair climate action by Congress. O.A.R., Umphrey's McGee, Warren Haynes, Mambo Sauce, and Blake Lewis of American Idol entertained enthusiastic crowds, and the event was covered live by CNN and The Weather Channel, plus scores of other media that carried the Call for Climate message.<ref name="Schiesel-2008">{{Cite news |date=April 18, 2008 |title=Bands of All Stripes, Keeping It Green |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/18/arts/music/18gree.html?_r=1&ref=music&oref=slogin |access-date=February 10, 2021 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> Many Earth Day events were held around the world from the Earth Day on Campus campaign.<ref name="Wikinews-2008">{{Cite news |date=April 24, 2008 |title=Earth Day 2008 marked in various ways |url=https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Earth_Day_2008_marked_in_various_ways |access-date=February 10, 2021 |newspaper=Wikinews}}</ref>

=== Earth Day 2009 ===
The 2009 National Teach-In on Global Warming Solutions reached college campuses, civic organizations, and faith groups across the U.S. As part of this event, members of Congress addressed college and high school campuses in their districts via video conference.<ref name="NationalTeachIn-2009">{{Cite web |date=February 23, 2009 |title=Sen. John Kerry National Teach-In 2009 Part 1 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjNZr7_uXwE&t=160s |access-date=February 3, 2021 |publisher=theNationalTeachIn |via=YouTube}}</ref>

=== Earth Day 2010 (40th anniversary) ===
An estimated one billion people around the world took action for the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.<ref name="Heussner-2010">{{Cite news |date=April 22, 2010 |title=Earth Day, 40 Years Later: How Far Have We Come? |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Eco/earth-day-2010-40-years-earth-day/story?id=10446923 |access-date=February 3, 2021 |work=ABC News}}</ref> An estimated 20,000 partners took action on climate change and other environmental issues through climate rallies, Billion Acts of Green™, and by engaging civil leaders in plans to build a [[green economy]], connected through the online action center at Earthday.org.<ref name="EarthDay-2010a">{{Cite web |date=April 21, 2010 |title=Earth Day Network Leads U.S. and Global Activities for 40th Anniversary of Earth Day |url=https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-network-leads-u-s-and-global-activities-for-40th-anniversary-of-earth-day |access-date=February 3, 2021 |website=earthday.org}}</ref> Through the Global Day of Conversation, more than 200 elected officials in more than 39 countries took part in active dialogues with their constituents about their efforts to create sustainable green economies and reduce their carbon footprints.<ref name="EarthDay-2010b">{{Cite web |date=April 5, 2010 |title=Earth Day Network Announces Line-Up of Performers, Speakers for 40th Anniversary of Earth Day |url=https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-network-announces-line-up-of-performers-speakers-for-40th-anniversary-of-earth-day |access-date=February 3, 2021 |website=earthday.org}}</ref> Students around the world participated in school greenings, featuring community clean-ups, solar energy systems, school gardens, and environmental curriculum.<ref name="PennLive-2010">{{Cite web |date=April 22, 2010 |title=Earth Day 2010: Teaching kids to appreciate nature can provide lifetime of rewards |url=https://www.pennlive.com/editorials/2010/04/earth_day_2010_teaching_kids_t.html |access-date=February 3, 2021 |website=Penn Live}}</ref> Earth Day Network announced a partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment's Avatar Home Tree Initiative to plant one million trees in 15 countries by the end of 2010.<ref name="HuffPost-2010">{{Cite web |date=May 25, 2011 |title=Avatar Earth Day: James Cameron Film Comes Out On DVD, Inspires 'Home Tree' Earth Day 2010 |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/avatar-earth-day-release_n_546984?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHX5PGZjguE2EUmg_UFZcERovD84_LHbooZ4EcsRB8ECLFMafjkC-_XfN5VsNSacnSaBTyjFeIlhUFI3nJ2_SIPIw-LpIxbNmklbeh2euvQeb1pa-0o1izuT7Q_QBIDuumWuI1yHzktHTo6ho8lJ6308x-NGy3YVe62aDifqMnBj |access-date=February 3, 2021 |website=Huffpost}}</ref>

The Climate Rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., drew in more than 150,000 activists to demand that U.S. Congress pass comprehensive climate legislation in 2010.<ref name="Pester-2017">{{Cite web |date=April 18, 2017 |title=Earth Day: Facts & History |url=https://www.livescience.com/50556-earth-day-facts-history.html |access-date=February 3, 2021 |website=Live Science}}</ref> The nine-hour event featured more than 70 high-profile speakers, including leadership from the faith, labor, civil rights, environmental communities, the private sector, leading climate scientists, celebrities, Cabinet Secretaries, international political leaders, and local government officials.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

In partnership with the Peace Corps, Earth Day Network worked with local volunteers to implement environmental and civic education programs, tree plantings, village clean-ups, and recycling seminars in rural areas in Ukraine, the Philippines, Georgia, Albania, and Kolkata, India.<ref name="PeaceCorps-2010">{{Cite web |date=April 22, 2010 |title=Peace Corps Celebrates Earth Day |url=https://www.peacecorps.gov/news/library/peace-corps-celebrates-earth-day |access-date=February 3, 2021 |website=Peace Corps}}</ref> In 2010, Earth Day Network also established a satellite office in Kolkata, India.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

As part of a nationwide commemoration of the 40th anniversary in Morocco, the government announced a unique National Charter for the Environment and Sustainable Development, the first commitment of its kind in Africa and the Arab world, which will inform new environmental laws for the country. The Kingdom of Morocco also pledged to plant one million trees.<ref name="ENS-2010">{{Cite web |date=April 22, 2010 |title=Morocco's National Earth Charter a First for the Arab World |url=http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/apr2010/2010-04-22-01.html |access-date=February 3, 2021 |website=Environment News Service}}</ref>

Internationally, a new episode from [[SpongeBob SquarePants season 7|season 7]] of ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]'' aired, by the name of "[[SpongeBob's Last Stand]]".

=== Earth Day 2011 ===
2011 Earth Day events included an environmental forum for local political leaders and the first-ever Earth Day celebration in Tunis City and primary school events throughout Iraq. In 17 of the world's most severely [[deforestation|deforested]] countries, Earth Day Network completed a project to plant over 1.1&nbsp;million trees. Across the globe, more than 100 million Billion Acts of Green were registered.<ref name="Earthzine-2011">{{Cite web |date=April 22, 2011 |title=International Earth Day 2011 |url=https://earthzine.org/international-earth-day-2011 |access-date=February 3, 2021 |website=IEEE Earthzine}}</ref><ref name="Earthday-2011">{{Cite web |date=April 29, 2011 |title=UNEP Pledges 1,297,343 Trees Planted to a Billion Acts of Green in Honor of Earth Day 2011 |url=https://www.earthday.org/unep-pledges-1297343-trees-planted-to-a-billion-acts-of-green-in-honor-of-earth-day-2011 |access-date=February 3, 2021 |website=earthday.org}}</ref> In September 2011, at the Clinton Global Initiative, President Clinton recognized this project as an exemplary approach to addressing global challenges.<ref name="ClintonFund-2021">{{Cite web |title=A Billion Acts of Green – Renewable Energy for All |url=https://www.clintonfoundation.org/clinton-global-initiative/commitments/billion-acts-green-renewable-energy-all |access-date=February 3, 2021 |website=Clinton Foundation}}</ref>

=== Earth Day 2012 ===
A Billion Acts of Green were achieved on Earth Day 2012, with Earth Day Network announcing the accomplishment at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio.<ref name="IISD-2012">{{Cite web |date=April 22, 2012 |title=Earth Day Network's "A Billion Acts of Green" |url=http://sdg.iisd.org/news/earth-day-network%E2%80%99s-a-billion-acts-of-green-campaign-reaches-goal |access-date=February 2, 2021 |website=Campaign Reaches Goal - IISD}}</ref><ref name="Earthday-2021a">{{Cite web |title=Billion Acts of Green Counter |url=https://www.earthday.org/billion |access-date=February 2, 2021 |website=earthday.org.}}</ref> A Billion Acts of Green is billed as the world's largest environmental service campaign, inspiring and rewarding both simple individual acts and larger organizational initiatives that further the goal of measurably reducing carbon emissions and supporting sustainability.<ref name="CNN-2012">{{Cite web |date=April 22, 2012 |title='Acts of Green' urged as Earth Day is celebrated around the world |url=https://www.cnn.com/2012/04/22/world/earth-day/index.html |access-date=February 2, 2021 |website=CNN}}</ref>
<ref name="Brake-2011">{{Cite web |date=March 3, 2011 |title=A Billion Acts of Green: Earth Day 2011 |url=http://www.earthtimes.org/going-green/a-billion-acts-green-earth-day-2011/371 |access-date=February 2, 2021 |website=Earth Times}}</ref> The Campaign for Communities engaged elected officials in finding solutions to local environmental challenges.<ref name="Earthday-2021b">{{Cite web |title=Campaign for Communities |url=https://www.earthday.org/campaign/campaignforcommunities |access-date=February 3, 2021 |website=earthday.org}}</ref> Faith programs saw Catholic parishes and churches across the U.S.  take action on Earth Day through sermons and other activities, including four events at the National Cathedral and a conference at the St. Sophia Cathedral and National Religious Coalition on Creation Care (NRCC).<ref name="BlessedEarth-2012">{{Cite web |date=February 3, 2021 |title=Earth Day 2012 – A time to Celebrate |url=http://www.blessedearth.org/blogs/earth-day-2012-a-time-to-celebrate |website=Blessed Earth|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412075537/http://www.blessedearth.org/blogs/earth-day-2012-a-time-to-celebrate |archive-date=April 12, 2021 }}</ref><ref name="GTownDish-2012">{{Cite web |date=April 22, 2012 |title=Earth Day: Because It Is Right |url=http://www.thegeorgetowndish.com/thedish/earth-day-because-it-right |access-date=February 3, 2021 |website=The Georgetown Dish}}</ref><ref name="EpiNS-2012">{{Cite web |date=April 24, 2012 |title=Episcopalians join religious voices at climate change conference |url=https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2012/04/24/episcopalians-join-religious-voice-at-climate-change-conference |access-date=February 3, 2021 |website=Episcopal News Service}}</ref> Mobilize the Earth™ events throughout all of India's states and geographic regions, coordinated by Earth Day Network India, included rallies, concerts, competitions, seminars, art shows, plantation drives, signature campaigns, and workshops.<ref name="Earthday-2021c">{{Cite web |title=India |url=https://www.earthday.org/india |access-date=February 3, 2021 |website=earthday.org}}</ref><ref name="C40-2012">{{Cite web |date=April 23, 2012 |title=How did your city celebrate Earth Day? |url=https://www.c40.org/blog_posts/how-did-your-city-celebrate-earth-day |access-date=February 3, 2021 |website=C40 Cities|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210531200445/https://www.c40.org/blog_posts/how-did-your-city-celebrate-earth-day |archive-date=May 31, 2021 }}</ref><ref name="TNN-2012">{{Cite news |date=April 22, 2012 |title=Schools celebrate Earth Day |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ludhiana/Schools-celebrate-Earth-Day/articleshow/12818226.cms |access-date=February 3, 2021 |work=The Times of India}}</ref>

=== Earth Day 2013 ===
The goal of Earth Day 2013 was to personalize the massive challenge that climate change presents while uniting people around the globe into a powerful call to action with the theme: The Face of Climate Change. To illustrate that climate change is not a remote problem for our leaders but is impacting real people, animals, and places everywhere, EDN collected images sent into #faceofclimate and displayed them in a collage at thousands of events around the world from schools to parks to government buildings.<ref name="Earthday-2013">{{Cite web |date=February 22, 2013 |title=Earth Day 2013 – The face of climate change |url=https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2013-the-face-of-climate-change |access-date=February 2, 2021 |website=earthday.org}}</ref> High level organizations and individuals participated in the campaign, including the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, US Secretary of State, and many more.<ref name="WhiteHouse-2013">{{Cite web |date=April 20, 2013 |title=Presidential Proclamation – Earth Day, 2013 |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/20/presidential-proclamation-earth-day-2013 |access-date=February 2, 2021 |website=The White House}}</ref>

Meanwhile, stories of hope inspired communities to take action<ref name="SofiaGlobe-2013">{{Cite news |date=April 22, 2013 |title=Bulgaria marks Earth Day 2013 with protests, politics |url=https://sofiaglobe.com/2013/04/22/bulgaria-marks-earth-day-2013-with-protests-politics |access-date=February 2, 2021 |work=The Sofia Globe}}</ref> and MobilizeU, a program to educate and activate college students around Earth Day and environmental issues, expanded in 2013 to 296 universities in 51 countries on six continents and in 46 US states.<ref name="Earthday-2012">{{Cite web |date=May 3, 2012 |title=Campus environmental campaign spurs student activism across 51 countries |url=https://www.earthday.org/campus-environmental-campaign-spurs-student-activism-across-51-countries |access-date=February 2, 2021 |website=earthday.org}}</ref>

In Washington, D.C., EDN presented Earth Month at Union Station, a four-week series of events that featured an environmental film festival, renewable energy demonstrations, farmers markets, NASA educational exhibits, and public talks by scientists and astronauts. In partnership with Washington, D.C. Public Schools, EDN also presented a STEM Fair at Union Station.<ref name="BizWire-2013">{{Cite web |date=January 14, 2013 |title=Union Station to Celebrate Earth Month 2013 |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130114005949/en/Union-Station-to-Celebrate-Earth-Month-2013#:~:text=WASHINGTON%2D%2D(BUSINESS%20WIRE)%2D%2D,April%201%20through%20April%2030 |access-date=February 2, 2021 |website=Business Wire}}</ref>

=== Earth Day 2014 ===
The goal of Earth Day 2014 was to dramatically personalize the massive challenges surrounding global climate change and weave that into both Earth Day 2014 and the five-year countdown to Earth Day 2020, the 50th anniversary. It was an opportunity to unite people worldwide into a common cause and call for action.<ref name="Acharya">{{Cite news |last=Acharya |first=Rupashree |date=2014-04-22 |title=International Earth Day |url=https://acharyarupashree48.medium.com/international-earth-day-4b511ec59d25 |work=Medium}}</ref>

The theme of Earth Day 2014 was Green Cities.<ref name="IANS-2014">{{Cite news |title=Earth Day 2014 with Green cities theme celebrated |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/earth-day-2014-with-green-cities-theme-celebrated-114042200722_1.html |access-date=February 18, 2021 |work=Business Standard News}}</ref> Earth Day Network launched the Green Cities campaign in the fall of 2013 to help cities worldwide become more sustainable and reduce their carbon footprint. Focused on three key elements – buildings, energy, and transportation – the campaign aims to help cities accelerate their transition to a cleaner, healthier, and more economically viable future through improvements in efficiency, investments in renewable technology, and regulation reform.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

=== Earth Day 2015 ===
To recognize the 45th anniversary of Earth Day, the 2015 global theme was termed "It's Our Turn to Lead."<ref name="UNFCCC-2015">{{Cite web |title=Earth Day 2015: It's our turn to lead |url=https://unfccc.int/news/earth-day-2015-its-our-turn-to-lead |access-date=February 18, 2021 |website=UNFCCC}}/</ref>

That year, Earth Day was a part of the steady drumbeat towards Paris for the UNFCCC COP 21 climate talks that December. With a binding treaty on climate change expected from this conference, this is a pivotal year for the environmental movement. Earth Day Network's (EDN) campaigns focused on instigating environmental advocacy, as well as strengthening [[climate communication]] and education.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}
 
EDN designed and executed four campaigns for its major constituencies: Green Cities, MobilizeU, Climate Education Week, and Faith Mobilization, all of which concentrated on the organization's theme: "It's Our Turn to Lead".{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}
In addition, EDN hosted Global Citizen 2015 Earth Day,<ref name="USAID-2015">{{Cite web |title=Five Memorable Moments from Global Citizen 2015 Earth Day |url=https://blog.usaid.gov/2015/04/5-memorable-moments-from-global-citizen-2015-earth-day |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150726164322/http://blog.usaid.gov/2015/04/5-memorable-moments-from-global-citizen-2015-earth-day/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 26, 2015 |website=USAID Impact}}</ref> in partnership with Global Poverty Project (GPP) on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. This venue allowed EDN and GPP to inspire and activate a new generation of global activists. The event worked to establish the intersection between eradicating global poverty and stopping climate change. Earth Day Network worked directly with major partners to garner large-scale commitments to stop climate change.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

=== Earth Day 2016 ===
The theme for Earth Day 2016 was Trees for Earth.<ref name="BostonGlobe-2016">{{Cite web |title=Earth Day 2016 |url=https://www3.bostonglobe.com/news/bigpicture/2016/04/22/earth-day/YPIaBxpxvJtfmxYIRPIwCK/story.html?arc404=true |access-date=February 18, 2021 |website=The Boston Globe}}</ref> India, the Caribbean, Vietnam, and Morocco made substantial government commitments. The Black Lives Matter organization,  which was created in 2013, also engaged with EarthDay.org in community panels.  Close to 700 million community members, organizations, and school children took part in Earth Day 2016. Over 36&nbsp;million trees were planted in India. "Earth Day Network" (now EarthDay.org) was accepted as an entry on Baidu Baike, a major online cyclopedia in China.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

Hundreds of mayors across the world participated in Earth Day 2016 primarily focused on urban planning and reforestation.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

=== Signing of the Paris Agreement at the UN ===
It was no accident that the United Nations selected Earth Day<ref name="UNEP-2021">{{Cite web |title=Why Earth Day is more important than ever |url=https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/why-earth-day-more-important-ever#:~:text=On%20Earth%20Day%202016%2C%20the,negative%20impacts%20of%20climate%20change |access-date=February 18, 2021 |website=unep.org| date=April 21, 2020 }}</ref> to sign the most significant climate accord in the history of the climate movement. On Earth Day 2016, world leaders from 175 nations broke a record by doing exactly that.

=== Earth Day 2017 ===
For Earth Day 2017, Earth Day Network launched the goal of global environmental and climate literacy by 2020. EDN envisioned a world that is fluent in the concepts of climate change and aware of its unprecedented threat to our planet. Environmental and climate literacy is the engine not only for creating green voters and advancing environmental and climate laws and policies but also for accelerating green technologies and jobs.<ref name="ED 2017">{{Cite web |title=For Earth Day 2017, Earth Day Network launched the goal of global environmental and climate literacy by 2020 |url=https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-network-launches-three-year-campaign-environmental-climate-literacy-earth-day-2017 |access-date=2021-09-25 |website=Earth Day Network|date=February 20, 2017 }}</ref>

To that end, the 2017 Earth Day theme is environmental and climate education. EDN knows that education is the foundation for progress. Before we can solve the dire environmental threats facing us in the 21st century, we must build a global citizenry knowledgeable in environmental science and fluent in local and global ecological issues. A world with a more educated populace internalizes values – such as environmental protection – and is empowered to act in defense of these values.<ref name="ED 2017" />

To support this Earth Day theme, EDN promoted teach-ins as an activity to educate communities on global environmental issues and how global environmental issues impact local communities. EDN teach-ins strove to empower attendees with real, tangible actions they could take for the environment.<ref name="ED 2017" />

EDN developed an extensive global outreach strategy to promote Earth Day and assist organizations with producing a variety of actions, including teach-ins, in their own communities. Staff sent thousands of emails and made hundreds of phone calls and revamped the organization's social media. Additionally, EDN created five teach-in toolkits, with accompanying translations in four languages, to help constituencies organize and mobilize their communities.<ref name="ED 2017" />

Finally, EDN hosted the flagship March for Science march, rally, and teach-ins on Earth Day on the Washington Monument Grounds in Washington D.C. This event rallied and empowered attendees to support science and evidence-based policy. Approximately 100,000 people attended.<ref name="ED 2017" />

=== Earth Day 2018 ===
Earth Day 2018's theme, End [[Plastic pollution]], was dedicated to building a world of educated citizens who understand the environmental, climate, and health consequences of using plastic.<ref name="Earth Day 2018-2018">{{Cite news |title=Earth Day 2018: Everything you need to know |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/earth-day-2018/story?id=54555421 |access-date=February 4, 2021 |work=ABC News. April 21, 2018}}</ref> Through an online Plastics Pollution Calculator, consumers calculated how much disposable plastic they used in a year and planned how to reduce this amount of waste.<ref name="Winsor-2018">{{Cite web |date=April 5, 2018 |title=Earth Day Network Launches Plastic Pollution Calculator for Earth Day 2018 (April 22nd) |url=https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-network-launches-plastic-pollution-calculator-for-earth-day-2018-april-22nd |access-date=February 4, 2021 |website=earthday.org}}</ref> A Plastic Pollution Primer and Action Toolkit also educated consumers about actions to reduce their plastic footprint. Events worldwide in The Gambia, Italy, Thailand, Japan, India, the U.S., among others, included plastic cleanups, teach-ins, and festivals in which 10,000 partners participated.<ref name="Earthday-2018b">{{Cite web |date=April 20, 2018 |title=Earth Day 2018 Events Popping Up Worldwide |url=https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2018-events-popping-up-worldwide |access-date=February 4, 2021 |website=earthday.org}}</ref> In April 2018, the Google search for "Plastic Pollution" saw the highest trends in the previous five years, 5.5&nbsp;million pages in 17 languages were created on the internet about "Earth Day 2018" and "plastics," and global media outlets with a combined audience of 450+ million people covered the campaign. The phrase "plastic pollution" on social media in the U.S. alone reached more than 155 million people. As a result, over 23,0000+ plastic cleanups were registered on Google, 60 countries introduced single-use plastic bans and legislation, and companies such as Coca-Cola and Starbucks announced steps to eliminate and significantly reduce plastic pollution.<ref name="Earthday-2018c">{{Cite web |date=August 6, 2018 |title=Earth Day 2018 – Plastic Pollution Global Trands |url=https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2018-plastic-pollution-global-trend |access-date=February 4, 2021 |website=earthday.org}}</ref>

=== Earth Day 2019 ===
Earth Day 2019's theme was Protect Our Species. For this campaign, events and programs spread information about the causes and consequences of growing species extinctions.<ref name="Earthday-2019a">{{Cite web |date=April 18, 2019 |title=Earth Day 2019: Protect Our Species |url=https://thp.org/news/earth-day-2019-protect-our-species |access-date=February 4, 2021 |website=The Hunger Project}}</ref>