Ecomodernism in the lead up to Environment Day 2026

 After a May focused on celebrating biodiversity in its many forms, the main focus in June will be Environment Day, observed on 5 June 2026. 

The theme for World Environment Day 2026 (WED2026) is 

"Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future."

WED2026 is hosted by Azerbaijan. 

Personally I have found the environmental philosophies of Ecomodernism, Ecofeminism and a future reimagined as "Solar Punk" most in-line with the theme of #WorldEnvironmentDay2026. The theme of Environment Day as well as the ecology-centric worldviews of  Ecomodernism and Ecofeminism put the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Circularity at their hearts. An ecology-first approach with an intersectionalist lens is central to reimagining a regenerative world. 

What is Insersectnality?

(See explainer video below)

Ecomodernism 

"Ecomodernism is an environmental philosophy arguing that human technological development and economic growth can—and should—be harnessed to protect nature and improve human wellbeing. At its core, ecomodernism focuses on 'decoupling', a process meant to separate growing economic prosperity from environmental damage. This is primarily achieved through 'land sparing'—intensifying human activities like food and energy production on less land, which leaves more space for natural ecosystems to thrive."

If I have reservations about ecomodernism its the approval of nuclear power, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified crops and urbanization in the quest to concentrate civilization and let ecology thrive in silos. See the YouTube Shorts summary (10 Cool Facts!) below: 

Ecofeminism 

Ecofeminism was introduced in Carolyn Merchant's 1980 book The Death of Nature: Women, Ecology, and the Scientific Revolution. It calls for knowledge with an ecological ethic of care instead of dominance. A return to a mode of development in partnership with nature, respecting it as living systems instead of machines to be controlled and dominated. See the explainer YouTube shorts below: 

Solarpunk 

"Solarpunk a literary, artistic, and social movement that envisions a sustainable, optimistic future where humanity lives in harmony with nature. It blends advanced renewable technology (the tech, SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy) with ecological awareness, actively rejecting climate doomerism in favor of community-driven, post-capitalist solutions (punk resistance to neocapitalism, neocolonialism & neoliberalism, et al. a.k.a. “Empire,” as Arundhati Roy puts it)"

Electric Bus launched in Indian Metros & Solar Ferry in Kochi's (Keralam) backwaters.

One of  the facilitators from my South Asia fellowship with Climate Tracker a decade ago (2016), Renee Karunungan from The Philippines, now based in United Kingdom shared how she has solarized her home and electrified her transport with UK government subsidies.  

Beyond Environment Day: For Our Future

Meanwhile my classmate, Venkatesh R. highlighted the plans for going 100% Off-Grid in India in his post on Medium as the Ground Truth Architect.

With the heating Pacific Ocean and predictions of a Super El Nino bound to mess with my city, Chennai's monsoon season (Northeast Monsoon), Venkatesh 'the Ground Truth Architect' also highlighted low-cost retrofits of the city's existing storm drains and rainwater harvesting systems as well as the introduction of porous roads in low-traffic areas and parking as well as bioswales in place of medians on highways. Thus reimaging the Greater Chennai Metropolis as a sponge city. 

Inspired by Nature: Biomimicry & Beyond

Video: Sponge City: Chinese Style

Inspiration from nature is a way of working in partnership with it for people, planet and profits. This can be as simple as growing your kitchen garden to encourage symbiosis or can go up to inspiration for tech to clean up the messes of over-consumption, capitalism, neocolonialism and neoliberalism.

#PlantHealthDay contd.
Healthy Plants for Healthy Humans!
Let's #endhunger & obliterate #micronutrienthunger AKA #microhunger - #SDG2 #ZeroHunger through thriving plant #biodiversity #SDG15 #LifeOnLand in our #kitchengardens #herbpatches & beyond#FruitForests as #UrbanForests https://t.co/EwznYjzOht

— Raakhee Suryaprakash (@10sunshinegal) May 26, 2026

 

For Climate: For Our Future

Beyond consumption for consumption's sake, living under the cloud of planned obsolescence as we are, we need to embrace the tenets of the circular economy models and sustainable development to live in harmony with nature. 

My dad handed me two clothespins. “This,” he said, “is the story of everything.”

In one hand: a clothespin from the 1960s. Solid hardwood, smooth from decades of use. It still works perfectly, some 60 years later.

In the other: a clothespin from 2025. Lighter, paler wood,… pic.twitter.com/Rh33ZpVOxR

— Mr PitBull Stories (@MrPitbull07) May 26, 2026

And however we design solutions, we must remember to hold an intersectional lens up to the problem to solve it holistically and regeneratively! 

Uncut grass keeps the ground at around 19.5°C
Grass cut to 10 cm raises the ground temperature to about 24.5°C
Bare ground in the middle of summer rises to over 40°C
It's important to raise awareness #NoMowMay pic.twitter.com/IQJviy48Ko

— Dr Elaine Cox 🍃 💚 🍃🌽🥬🐦‍⬛🐌🇬🇧 (@ElaineCox11) May 25, 2026

 

 

Takeaways from the ADB Healthy Oceans Forum: Innovations for WWD, Coastal & Ocean Resilience

 While participating online at the First Asian Development Bank (ADB) Healthy Oceans Tech & Finance Forum: Innovations Solutions for Asia and the Pacific I gained insights on many on paths to Coastal & Ocean Resilience, especially in Asia-Pacific. With Wetlands being a key ecosystem covered and with World Wetlands Day (WWD) being observed on February 2, 2022 with the theme 'Wetlands Action for People and Nature' it makes sense to highlight takeaways from the ADB Healthy Oceans Forum that focus on Wetlands and building coastal resilience. 

Ahead of the #ADBHealthyOceans Tech & Finance Forum on Jan 26-28, read the #OceanPanel-commissioned guide that identifies the what, why & how of a #SustainableOceanPlan for maximum delivery of benefits for people, nature & the economy.@ADBEnvironment

👉https://t.co/oibaNIAVTL pic.twitter.com/xuGxpO0Faf

— Ocean Panel (@oceanpanel) January 19, 2022

Now, ADB has committed to raise funds to restore wetlands in the Asia-Pacific. In India, Maharashtra's wetlands as well as rural connectivity is being funded by ADB projects in collaboration with the state government. Previously ADB has helped bring back beaches, restore shorelines and revitalize the coastal zone in Ullal, Karnataka, through sustainable costal protection and management. 

This project in itself and efforts to restore wetlands are big wins for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Also by building in Gender Equality into the framework of the ADB Blue Loans and Blue Bonds funded Blue Future, more women entrepreneurs and women-led initiatives are being offered funding for projects to improve ocean and coastal resilience and mainstream Blue Foods and sustainable aquaculture to boost the economy and ecology.

Wetlands include marsh, swamp and mire (bog and fen). A mangrove is a tide-influenced wetland complex and are bio-diverse carbon-fixing ecosystems at the borders of land and oceans. Thus restoring wetlands and building up coastal resilience by funding and empowering farmers, SMEs and the government can ensure climate action as well as all the other Global Goals. While forests are referred to as the lungs of the planet, wetlands are called the kidneys of planet. But both are vital organs essential for the health of the planets and its inhabitants.

I covered the Plastics-Free Oceans spotlight of the ADB Healthy Oceans in the January 2022 RE-plastic blog post. I have also covered the importance of Wetlands and WWD before (2021 & February 2020) in posts blogs. Revitalizing and restoring wetlands, which are being drained and destroyed faster than forests enables sequestering lots more carbon dioxide than just in forests (SDG13). If forests are slashed for farmland, wetlands are "reclaimed" to expand cities and enable the urban sprawl. Most of the world's capitals, metros and megacities are built on wetlands. Examples span from Washington, DC to Venice to Mumbai and Chennai. Be it South America's Pantanal or South Asia's Sunderbans as well as the mangroves and wetlands along major rivers or the confluence of rivers and great urban centres, these biodiverse wetlands that are our main defense from climate catastrophes are most at risk. They are being destroyed much faster than forests. At the threshold of life on land (SDG15) and life below water (SDG14), their revitalization can revitalize the economy and empower the marginalized faster than most other efforts. The Coastal Resilience, Blue Foods and Ocean Finance streams of the ADB forum showcased many such restoration examples and experts. ADB's 5 billion dollar Healthy Oceans Action Plan launched in May 2019 is a great beginning.

Powerful #ADBHealthyOceans plenary scene setting by #photographer @jgbmejia #wetlands hero & @NatGeo explorer.
Gr8 recommendations:
Harness your talent, your voice & your story to power your action for the #environment
Looking fwd to Day2 @ADBEnvironment #SDG13 #SDG14 #SDG15 pic.twitter.com/zja5OY7SaV

— Raakhee Suryaprakash (@10sunshinegal) January 27, 2022

The Regenerative Blue Economy model powered by renewable energy (SDG 7) for Just Transition is a great path to sustainable development and climate resilience. Women-led mangrove re-planting and lake and flood-plains reclamation have had more community participation than purely government or corporate restoration projects. For People and Planet we need action for wetlands. And the designation of many wetland as Ramsar sites is a great step forward.