Environmental and Earth Science Week—“Science for a Thriving Planet!”, 21–23 March 2025
This year, MDPI celebrates Environmental and Earth Sciences Week under the theme "Science for a Thriving Planet!". As we honor this week, we also align with the United Nations' call to action by recognizing key global observances: March 21 as the International Day of Forests and World Day for Glaciers, March 22 as World Water Day, and March 23 as World Meteorological Day. These observances highlight the interconnectedness of forests, water, weather, and climate in shaping a sustainable future.
In accordance with Goal 13 of the SDG Publishers Compact: Climate Action, MDPI launched several activities including webinars, interviews, 2024 Most Popular Cover in Environmental and Earth Sciences, etc. MDPI aspires to harness the power of science to explore new pathways for sustainable development, promote the dissemination and practice of global eco-friendly principles, and work together to build a brighter future for our planet.
MDPI's established journals in Section Environmental and Earth Sciences serve as vital platforms for scientific communication to recognize the urgent need to protect and restore these natural treasures. Join us in celebrating Environmental and Earth Sciences Week. Together, we can work toward a future where forests continue to nourish and sustain life for generations to come.
We launched the campaign, “MDPI 2024 Most Popular Cover in Environmental and Earth Sciences”, from 19 February 2025 to 12 March 2025, which aims to reinforce the critical role science plays in understanding, protecting, and sustaining our world.
After thorough internal evaluation and external mass voting, we are pleased to announce the three winners. Each winning issue cover will be honored with a voucher of CHF 300 to reduce the Article Processing Charge (APC) and an electronic certificate.
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MDPI interviewed Prof. Dr. Bruce McCarl from Texas A&M University, Prof. Dr. Akira Tokuhiro from Ontario Tech University, and Dr. Danilo Godone from the Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection to share their opinions on the role science played in balancing human development with environmental preservation and their future prospects.
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“I think the main role of science is to evaluate the implications of potential pathways and their consequence plus in case to suggest some promising alternatives. I am an economist so I am not one who devised alternative say energy forms but rather looks at alternatives and gives their economic and environmental effects. I think we need to recognize that we are to support decisions not suggest the best path forward but rather help provide relevant information when decisions are to be made. For the future of sustainability, I think AI is an important tool for identifying possible alternatives plus providing a basis for AI recommendations and evaluations. Beyond that low emission energy from using biological materials and reusing wastes or emissions to reduce energy burdens are very promising.” |
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“I think science plays only a smaller part in human development with environmental preservation. The science today already tells us to listen, be aware of our surroundings, stop and change how we live, be respectful (to others and all living things, preserve and restore the planet. Hopefully sciences and technologies can inspire people and societies to significantly reduce our footprint, prevent damage to our planet and its living beings, restore the planet to a state where it should be and is respectful in many ways. It is clear that climate change is about people and changing their behavior.” |
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“I think that multidisciplinary approach provided by science can give a verbal tool to cope with those environmental issues because it helps look into the problem from several points of view, including reference. To pass data and previous experiences in giving insights with the future projections and models. So summing all of those information can provide. And really remarkable tool method to balance the two needs of human development and environmental preservation. I think that artificial intelligence and other high level computing techniques and tools like quantum computers and similar technologies can be very helpful. Now and in the future, to synthesize and summarize properly the vast amount of data currently. Available in oil fields of science. So through this kind of synthesis and summarizing process, they can help us to better use and manage this information for human.” |
Dr. Danilo Godone
The 21st of March was declared the World Day for Glaciers by the UN, and 2025 has been declared the International Year of Glaciers. Aligned with the theme of 2025, “Glaciers: Guardians of Earth's Future”, MDPI sincerely invites you to explore research in a related field.
MDPI World Day for Glaciers Webinar 2025
19 March 2025, 09:00 am (CET)
You are welcome to watch the recording here!
The International Day of Forests takes place on 21 March each year. Join the cause and defend the theme of International Day of Forests 2025, "Forests and Food". MDPI sincerely invites you to explore research in a related field.
MDPI 2025 International Day of Forests
21 March 2025, 03:00 pm (CET)
Free to register for this webinar here！
The recording will be available shortly afterward.
The 22nd of March is World Water Day, a global observance dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of water resources. The theme of World Water Day 2025 is ”Glacier Preservation”. Echoing the mission of protecting frozen water resources for the future, MDPI sincerely invites you to explore research in a related field.
MDPI World Water Day Webinar 2025
21 March 2025, 04:00 pm (CET)
Free to register for this webinar here!
The recording will be available shortly afterward.
Every 23 March, the World Meteorological Organization commemorates the coming into force of the Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization on 23 March 1950. Echoing the theme of 2025, “Closing the early warning gap together”, MDPI sincerely invites you to explore research in a related field.
MDPI 2025 World Meteorological Day
24 March 2025, 05:00 pm (CET)
Free to register for this webinar here！
The recording will be available shortly afterward.