RIYADH — The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture along with all countries will celebrate World Environment Day, which falls on June 5, 2020, and comes this year with the theme of Biodiversity. On this occasion, the ministry has broadcast awareness messages urging all to care for the environment, shedding light on the damage and negative impact of biodiversity loss, in addition to sharing efforts and experiences of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to preserve the environment. The ministry explained that celebrating this day annually aims at monitoring all environmental issues, releasing early warnings to ensure the safety of the environment, promoting environmental activities, and raising awareness on environmental issues. This year’s celebration highlights the importance of biodiversity in human life, and the need to preserve more than 8 million species of plants and animals on the planet; their ecosystems, and the genetic diversity among them. The ministry confirmed that biodiversity is the foundation that supports all life forms on the earth and underwater. World Environment Day is a global platform to raise awareness on the importance of preserving the environment, in addition to limiting global warming and desertification. World Environment Day is celebrated annually by more than 100 countries around the world since 1974. Each year the United Nations chooses a country to be the global host for this event, and this year Colombia is hosting World Environment Day 2020. — SG