As Earth Day turns 50 amid lockdowns, environmental action goes digital

A bee sits on a flower budding from an almond tree, which rely on natural pollinators for fertilisation in an almond grove in Tel Arad, southern Israel. Creators of the Earth Challenge 2020 app hope in coming months it can be expanded to help contributors report on insect populations and verify satellite data on what crops are being grown around the world, to better fight hunger. — Reuters

ROME: With many nations having banned mass gatherings to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus, green activists are marking the 50th anniversary of Earth Day online, urging environmental action through apps, webinars and digital campaigns.

The annual push to raise public awareness about the environment and inspire actions to protect it, held each April 22, this year comes amid a health crisis that has forced unprecedented shutdowns in countries around the world.