Earth Day 2024 & Climate Change

How it started vs how it's going

About Earth Day

Earth Day was started by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-WI) on April 22, 1970, in response to growing environmental concerns largely focused on air and water pollution.

Nelson was inspired by anti-war protests and sought to channel that energy toward environmental issues. 

Mobilizing 20 million Americans, Nelson organized the first Earth Day – sparking the modern environmental movement. Earth Day is now celebrated globally each year on April 22 to promote environmental awareness and action. The United Nations began designating “World Environment Day” two years later, which is commemorated every June 5.

Less than eight months after the first Earth Day, on December 2, 1970, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) was established by executive order of President Richard Nixon. 

The EPA was created in response to Nelson’s success in harnessing and empowering the environmental movement, and the growing public concern about environmental pollution and the need for a unified approach to address environmental issues in the United States. 

The EPA's mission is to protect human health and the environment by enforcing regulations, conducting research, and providing technical assistance related to environmental protection and conservation. Policies enacted and enforced by the EPA have had profound impacts on our health and environment.

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The Earth’s climate

The Earth has warmed approximately 0.8° Celsius (1.4° F) since 1970, based on the average global surface temperature increase observed by every national and global body.

Last year (2023) was the warmest year on record since the beginning of the industrial era.

Today, on April 22, 2024, the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is 424 parts per million (ppm).

On April 22, 1970, CO2 was around 325 ppm.