Stages for 2026 World Environment Day Event at the United Nations Compound in Beijing (Photo: Xu Zheqi/People's Daily)

Beijing (People's Daily) - The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) China Office held the 2026 World Environment Day Event at the United Nations Compound in Beijing on Tuesday.

This year, World Environment Day focuses on climate change, drawing attention both to the urgent signals coming from earth and to the choices people make in response. Through its global call to action, UNEP invited people everywhere to come together and act "#NowForClimate."

The event was attended by participants from UN agencies in China, Chinese government departments, foundations, schools, private enterprises and the art sector.

Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, speaks at the event via video. (Photo provided by UNEP)

In his video remarks, Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, said that the past 11 years have been the 11 hottest years on record. The damage extends far beyond rising temperatures, ranging from air pollution and land degradation to ecosystem collapse and biodiversity loss.

He stressed that the task is to keep temperature rise as low as possible, for as short a time as possible, and with as little harm as possible, while bringing temperatures back down quickly. Achieving this, he said, requires deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.

Wang Qian, officer-in-charge and head of the UNEP China Office, addresses the event. (Photo provided by UNEP)

Wang Qian, officer-in-charge and head of the UNEP China Office, addressed the event. She emphasized that while the impacts of climate change are intensifying, solutions are also becoming more widely available.

She also introduced UNEP's World Environment Day outreach activities to increase public awareness. Engaging the public both on the ground and online, UNEP is partnering with the busiest transit hubs, including the Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Metro, for offline outreach, while sparking a global climate dance challenge on digital platforms.

The Chinese government has attached great importance to addressing climate change.

"China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) outlines key priorities for climate action and green, low-carbon development, while the new Ecological and Environmental Code provides a clear legal framework for addressing climate change," said Yan Shidong, director general of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment's Center for Environmental Education and Communications.

People attend a panel discussion at the 2026 World Environment Day Event in Beijing. (Photo provided by UNEP)

A round-table panel discussion was also held at the event. The panelists drew on their organizations' experiences to share best practices and insights on climate action, emphasizing the diverse stakeholder contributions that drive climate solutions forward.

First held in 1973, World Environment Day has become the largest global platform for environmental outreach.