The United Nations Environment Programme has chosen Pittsburgh as the host city for World Environment Day in 2010. This annual event is held on June 10 and was established in 1972 to stimulate worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.

During an announcement this morning at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh on the North Side, Elisabeth Guilbaud-Cox, deputy director of UNEP, said several factors contributed to Pittsburgh’s selection including its significance as the birthplace of environmentalist Rachel Carson and because the city recently hosted the G-20 summit. Read the entire Post Gazette article

The day’s agenda is to:

1. Give a human face to environmental issues;
2. Empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development;
3. Promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues;
4. Advocate partnership which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future.

Information about specific plans for the 2010 event are not up yet at the UNEP site. However, you can read about the 2009 World Environment Day here.