Environment spotlight: What happened around the world in June?

This past month saw a number of reports on species that face the threat of extinction globally as well as a worrying record high temperature of 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 Fahrenheit) in the Arctic Circle.

The following is a look at the environmental developments, reports, events and stories that dominated the month of June.

June 1

• Over 500 animal species, including the giant panda, tiny tamaraw buffalo and riverine rabbit, are officially on the brink of extinction, as less than 1,000 of them remain in the wild, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

June 2

• Environmental movements, including 350.org, announce solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement over the death of George Floyd.

June 3

• Russia declares a state of emergency in the Siberian city of Norilsk following a major fuel leak in the environmentally sensitive Arctic Circle.
• Speaking at an interview, U.N. Environment Program Executive Director Inger Anderson says: "It is time for nature because when we take care of nature, it takes care of us."

June 4

• The world could face more pandemics if humans did not fix their relationship with the planet, Charles, prince of Wales, says. "The more we erode the natural world, the more we destroy what's called biodiversity."
• "Climate crisis, biodiversity loss demand COVID-19 like measures as human health relies on healthy nature," says the head of WWF Turkey in a statement on the occasion of World Environment Day.
• Mangrove trees, a well-known species that store large amounts of carbon, will not survive the sea-level rise by 2050 if the world fails to cut emissions, according to a new study published in the journal Science.

June 5

• Organized by the U.N. Environment Program, World Environment Day is celebrated online all around the world under the theme "Time for Nature."
• China upgrades the national protection status of its native pangolin species, the world's most-trafficked mammal.
• Ethiopia says it plans to plant 5 billion seedlings during this year's rainy season. "This is part of our larger goal of planting 20 billion trees during a four-year period," says Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

June 8

• Celebrated annually worldwide since 1992, World Oceans Day is observed online under the theme "Innovation for Sustainable Oceans."
• Record-holding freediver Şahika Encümen is named Turkey's Life Below Water Advocate by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
• Danish pension fund MP Pension excludes further 24 oil companies from its portfolio, divesting over $130 million in assets.

June 9

• China removes pangolin scales from an official 2020 list of traditional medicines as part of efforts to protect the population.
• Across the planet, 41% of insect species are in decline and one-third faces a risk of extinction, according to Insect Atlas 2020.
• China launches a newly developed satellite into orbit to monitor the maritime environment, including sea surface temperatures.

June 11

• Batangas city is named the Philippine winner in the latest edition of the World Wildlife Fund's One Planet City Challenge, joining the list of national winners from 22 countries worldwide.

June 15

• The Swedish Supreme Court gives the green light for a new oil refinery which will become the country's largest CO2 emitter.

June 17

• World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, which focuses on changing public attitudes surrounding desertification and land degradation, is observed online.
• Croatian authorities declare a natural disaster in the country's northernmost province after 50 million bees are found dead in the region of Medzimurje.
• U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for a "new contract for nature" in a message marking the Desertification and Drought Day and urges global action and solidarity to keep nature healthy.

June 18

• Wild plant species are under pressure due to its usage to treat COVID-19 and make money, according to the Invisible Trade report published by the international wildlife watchdog TRAFFIC.
• A sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 crisis could create millions of jobs while decreasing emissions, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency.

June 19

• Turkey breaks a record of the past 20 years by producing 66% of its total electricity from renewable energy in April, says Energy Minister Fatih Dönmez.
• Established by the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, the first-ever World Albatross Day is celebrated by conservation communities.

June 20

• Mercury hits 38 C (100.4 F) within the Arctic Circle, 17 C (62.2 F) hotter than normal for the day.
• "Climate change is as urgent as coronavirus," says Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg in an exclusive interview with BBC News.

June 22

• Observed annually to raise awareness and encourage action to protect rainforests, World Rainforest Day is celebrated online.
• FairWild Week, an annual online campaign that aims to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable and equitable trade in wild plant ingredients, is observed June 22-26 under the theme of "Why Care about Wild Plants?"

June 23

• The goal should be limiting global warming to 1.5 C (34.7 F) instead of 2 C (35.6 F) as the coronavirus pandemic has given the global community an opportunity to rebuild a green economy, Bangladeshi lawmaker Saber Hossain Chowdhury tells a webinar.
• Ciencia Magica receives the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification and Heroes Award in recognition of the outstanding work to limit the footprint left on land by human production and consumption.
• Temminck's pangolins, one of the eight existing species, return to South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province where they once existed.

June 24

• Germany bans single-use plastic products, which will come into effect from July 2021, as the Cabinet agrees in line with an EU directive to reduce waste.

June 25

• Environmental activists Anne Rolfes and Kate McIntosh are charged with "terrorizing" for a nonviolent protest in Louisiana that targets the oil and gas industry over plastic pollution.
• A report on Money Laundering and the Illegal Wildlife Trade is published by the Financial Action Task Force that will provide guidance to countries on measures they can take to combat money laundering from the illegal wildlife trade.
• The high COVID-19 tally in India's capital New Delhi and Mumbai is linked to air pollution levels, as experts say air quality has a profound impact on the immunity of people.

June 26

• The smooth handfish, also known as Sympterichthys unipennis, officially goes extinct, according to a report by Mongabay, a U.S.-based conservation and environmental science news platform.

June 30

• Free-diving champion Şahika Ercümen takes a dive in the waters of the Bosporus to highlight the importance of keeping the world's waters clean. Photos showing all the masks, gloves and other plastics polluting the water, captured by Anadolu Agency photojournalist Şebnem Coşkun, make the rounds on social media.