Musician Jack Johnson appointed UNEP goodwill ambassador

The designation was one of the highlights of the 2015 World Environment Day (WED) - the United Nations' principal vehicle for raising worldwide awareness and encouraging action for the environment, celebrated in more than 100 countries.

This year's WED - held under the slogan 'Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care' - focuses on the theme of sustainable consumption as a means to achieve equitable and inclusive development while minimising the overexploitation of natural resources and adverse environmental impacts.

Through WED, UNEP encourages everyone to rethink their consumption habits and invites people to share their dreams for a future they want and to pledge individual actions to make those dreams reality.

Unique network

"Jack Johnson's millions of fans around the world form part of a unique network that engages with environmental non-profits at each of his tour stops; encouraging communities to work together to address environmental issues from promoting the consumption of sustainably produced local food to plastic free initiatives. His efforts to green the music industry are unprecedented, and ones we wholeheartedly endorse," UN Under-Secretary-General and executive director of UNEP, Achim Steiner, said.

"I am grateful and excited to welcome Johnson as UNEP's Goodwill Ambassador, confident that he will inspire positive action on the environment at this important juncture as the world prepares to embrace a new set of sustainable development goals and reach an agreement on climate change by the year's end," he added.

"Becoming a UNEP goodwill ambassador is an honour for me," said Johnson. "In Hawaii, when we work together we say Laulima, which means 'many hands'. It is always impressive to see what can be accomplished when you build the right team and get all those hands working together. I see this relationship with UNEP as a way to reach and inspire more people to be active in their local communities, as well as a way for me to learn more about environmental issues around the world," he added.

Environmental education

Johnson, with his wife Kim, founded the Kokua Hawaii Foundation to support environmental education in Hawaii's schools and communities, as well as the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation to support environmental, art and music education worldwide. Johnson's donations of tour and album profits, along with his personal charitable activities, have resulted in over $30m directed to charity since 2001.

In his role as UNEP's goodwill ambassador Johnson will help to generate interest and mobilise positive action for environmental causes in support of UNEP's work. He will focus particularly on issues such as marine litter and promoting sustainable food systems and plastic free initiatives.