Earth Day 2021, in pictures

1The alarms have not stopped ringing despite the pandemic.

And António Guterres, secretary general of the United Nations (UN), is running out of harsh words to warn of the consequences of this planetary climate crisis.

In the picture, Chinese artist and environmental activist Kong Ning presents her latest collection of dresses under the slogan "Kiss the Earth" on a street in Beijing.

Andy Wong AP

2The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a UN agency, has been publishing its annual evaluations for 28 years now and the conclusion is crystal clear: the evidence and impacts of global warming are piling up. In the image, a group of activists put a mask on a globe representing the planet during an event on Earth Day, this Thursday in Seoul (South Korea). Lee Jin-man AP

3 At the 2020 Glasgow climate summit, countries were supposed to come up with tougher greenhouse gas emission cut plans than they have offered so far under the Paris Agreement. But, when 2020 ended, only 75 of the nearly 200 countries that signed Paris had done so. In the image, several activists participate in a protest to urge the Indonesian government to take swift action to address the country's environmental problems, this Thursday in Jakarta. Tatan Syuflana AP

4The Paris Agreement established that, to avoid the most disastrous effects of climate change, countries had to reduce their emissions in such a way that from 2050 they would have to disappear. In the picture, a Buddhist devotee lights a candle, in an attempt to achieve the Guinness record with 330,000 candles arranged in the shape of the Earth, during Earth Day celebrations, at the Buddhist temple Wat Dhammakaya, outside Bangkok ( Thailand). LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA AFP

5The problem at the moment is mainly two players: the United States and China, which accumulate about 40% of global emissions. In the image, agents of the Philippine Coast Guard collect garbage to raise awareness on Earth Day, along a coastline in the town of Tanza, Cavite province (Philippines). FRANCIS R. MALASIG EFE

6Coinciding with Earth Day, Biden has called a meeting for this Thursday and Friday with 40 presidents and prime ministers of the world. Unlike what happened in recent years, in which leaders who have not shown commitments against climate change did not attend, the United States has decided to invite controversial leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro . In the picture, Julian Melcer (left) picks up cigarette butts on a beach in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Earth Day. AMIR COHEN REUTERS

7U.S. President Joe Biden has made a commitment to the United Nations that his country's net greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by between 50% and 52% in 2030 compared to 2005 levels. In the image, members of the global environmental movement Extinction Rebellion in a protest whose action consists of dumping outside the White House, this Thursday in Washington. EVELYN HOCKSTEIN REUTERS

8The pandemic took climate change out of its main focus and forced the UN summits to be delayed; however, the multi-million dollar recovery plans of the countries may mean an acceleration of the decarbonization of the world economy. In the image, Buddhist monks, from the Dhammakaya temple, attend a meditation ceremony on Earth Day and light 330,000 candles arranged in the shape of the Earth to achieve a Guinness record, in the province of Pathum Thani, (Thailand). JORGE SILVA REUTERS

9The OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) is monitoring the aid and incentives that are being launched by the governments of the 43 member countries of this body, including the United States, China and the European Union.

In the image, a member of White Rebels participates with the Extinction Rebellion movement in the protest against the climate plan of the US president, Joe Biden, in Washington.

EVELYN HOCKSTEIN REUTERS

10Countries such as Japan, Canada or Argentina have put new emission cut targets on the table.

In the image, mural with the image of ET from the Steven Spielberg film, by street artist Harry Greb, in the center of Rome (Italy), this Thursday.

RICCARDO ANTIMIANI EFE

11An activist from Extinction Rebellion, a global environmental movement, breaks a window at the headquarters of the financial institution HSBC during a protest at Canary Wharf in London (United Kingdom). JOHN SIBLEY REUTERS