Thousands of people gathered in Kigali, Rwanda for the official World Environment Day 2010 celebrations which were marked by traditional Rwandan dances Credits: unep.org

Rwanda, this year's global host for WED, organized a vivid celebration in the Volcanoes National Park that brought together Don Cheadle, a Hollywood star, the Rwandan President, environmentalists and businesses alongside 30,000 people. The WED celebrations were preceded by a conference on “Conservation and Environment” held in Kigali.

The conference presented a strong focus on REDD+ and forests as a key mitigation and adaptation measure and as an opportunity for moving towards a green economy. The UN-REDD Programme was represented by Dr. Johannes Refisch who presented on “National Parks for a Green Economy”.  The concept of national parks has shifted over the past decades, from well-defined protected areas for the ultimate goal of protection to multi-functional landscapes, which provide many services ranging from ecotourism, water, carbon storage to local livelihoods. National parks can function as catalysts, to help national economies move toward a more “green” and sustainable

Participants at the plenary session where UN-REDD Programme representative, Dr. Johannes Refisch, presented on “National Parks for a Green Economy.

focus that places less emphasis on consumption. The Vice-President of Conservation International, Mr. Carlos Rodriguez (former Minister of Environment of Costa Rica) presented the Costa Rican transformation model which has both increased the national forest cover and the GDP. The Executive Director of UNEP, Mr. Achim Steiner concluded with a presentation on the economic importance of functioning ecosystems and the steps governments of the world are taking towards a green economy and transition towards low-carbon development paths.