“Restore Our Earth” is the theme for this year’s Earth Day observed annually on 22 April. This year’s theme focuses on restoring the world’s ecosystems through natural processes, emerging green technologies and innovative thinking.

After a year of living the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, all around the world people and communities have adapted to our new reality with limited or strict travel bans and a restrictive lifestyle. As a result, our relationship with the environment has also changed.

“Earth Day is our planet’s very own holiday, and this year’s theme “Restore Our Earth” emphasises the work we need to do, despite the impacts of COVID-19, to ensure our planet is safeguarded for future generations to come,” said Mr Kosi Latu, Director General of SPREP.

“COVID-19 has clearly demonstrated our reliance on healthy ecosystems and biodiversity for our health, food, water, shelter, energy and much more, which have been a lifeline for many communities during these hard times. Our advancements in technology have helped many of us adapt to working remotely, but it is undeniable that it is our planet that sustains us and we need to protect and conserve it now more than ever.”

A number of events that had been planned around last year’s Earth Day were reportedly cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A year later, equipped with better resources to cater to the current global situation, celebrations are back on with many organisations opting for safer, virtual events to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Programme (SPREP), while based in COVID-free Samoa, will also commemorate Earth Day on Thursday, 22 April with the launch of the 2021 Quiz Series, following the success of last year’s quiz series kickstarted at the height of global lockdowns.

The quiz series is designed to support children and adults alike through a virtual, fun, and interactive way to learn and test their knowledge about the Pacific environment. Each quiz will be ten questions long and feature a different topic, released every month or to commemorate important environmental days, like Earth Day.

SPREP invites you to commemorate Earth Day by participating in the first quiz in the series is called, ‘Our Earth Quiz.’ How much do you know about our planet’s animals and ecosystems? Take the quiz to find out and challenge your friends or family to see who knows more about our Earth.

To play the quiz and challenge others CLICK HERE or visit our website www.sprep.org, follow our Facebook (@SPREP.PEIN) or Twitter (@SprepChannel) to receive updates on new quizzes and upcoming release dates and topics. The Pacific Biodiversity Quiz will be open for one week, closing on 29 April at 11 pm (Samoa Time). The top three players will be announced at the end of the game period.

To find out more about the quiz series or other information in the article, please contact us at sprep@sprep.org.