15th May - International Day of Families

In 1993 the United Nations General Assembly decided that every year 15 May should be the International Day of Families. This day provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase the knowledge of social, economic and demographic processes that affect them. This year the theme is families and climate change.

Read the text and find out:

1. What four aspects of climate change impact families' health and wellbeing?

2. How do families contribute to climate change in their daily lives?

3. According to the text, what do families need in order to contribute to climate action?

4. Why is education about the circular economy important?
   

The 2024 International Day of Families aims to raise awareness of how climate change impacts families and the role families can play in climate action. Climate change negatively affects family health and wellbeing through increased pollution, extreme weather events that displace people, disruptions to agriculture and food systems, and economic impacts. Families contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions through electricity usage, transportation choices, food consumption, and overall consumption patterns. Ambitious climate action is urgently needed by governments, businesses, and citizens to cut emissions and advance climate justice.

Empowering families through education, changing consumption habits, and advocacy is critical for meaningful and effective climate action. Families pass values across generations, so instilling sustainable habits and climate awareness in families from an early age is important. Integrating circular economy principles into early childhood education can help build a sustainable economic model based on minimizing waste and regenerating natural resources. Families as consumers and advocates can drive the transition to a circular economy.

Full text available here.  (https://social.desa.un.org/issues/family/events/2024-international-day-of-families

You can find out more about the circular economy in units 1 and 2 of of Develop Your English: with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (free to access).

Link for unit 1 https://openpress.sussex.ac.uk/developyourenglish/chapter/unit-1-consume-waste-sdg12-responsible-consumption-production/ 

Link for unit 2 https://openpress.sussex.ac.uk/developyourenglish/chapter/unit-2-consumer-waste-sdg7-affordable-clean-energy/