In celebration of the 56th Earth Day, EARTHDAY.ORG (EDO) has officially released the 2025 Earth Day poster. The artwork encapsulates this year’s theme, ‘Our Power, Our Planet,’ and underscores the critical importance of accelerating the global transition to renewable energy in response to escalating climate and ecological crises.
Fig. 1 The World Earth Day poster released by EDO in 2025
At the poster’s center, a gleaming solar panel and a thriving forest reflects a joyful, diverse human community, portraying a future where technological innovation and ecological balance go hand in hand. Framed by a clear blue sky and vibrant natural scenery, the image evokes a sense of possibility and shared responsibility. It illustrates renewable energy is not a distant dream—it is a present imperative and a pathway to global well-being.
“Through this artwork, I sought to communicate both the urgency and optimism embedded in the solar transition,” explained Alexis Rockman, the artist behind the poster. “The solar panel stands as a metaphor for a collective path forward—one of low impact and high promise.”
At the poster’s center, a gleaming solar panel and a thriving forest reflects a joyful, diverse human community, portraying a future where technological innovation and ecological balance go hand in hand. Framed by a clear blue sky and vibrant natural scenery, the image evokes a sense of possibility and shared responsibility. It illustrates renewable energy is not a distant dream—it is a present imperative and a pathway to global well-being.
“Through this artwork, I sought to communicate both the urgency and optimism embedded in the solar transition,” explained Alexis Rockman, the artist behind the poster. “The solar panel stands as a metaphor for a collective path forward—one of low impact and high promise.”
The 2025 Earth Day theme underscores the pressing need for a global clean energy transition, emphasizing a necessary goal: to triple renewable energy generation capacity by 2030. This target is consistent with key recommendations from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Realizing this vision means dramatically scaling up solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and tidal energy technologies while phasing out fossil fuel dependency in an equitable and just manner.
Fig. 2 The importance, security and challenges of natural resources
As the global transition to clean energy accelerates, the importance of natural resources has become increasingly prominent. As the foundation of modern life, natural resources serve not only as the fuel for energy systems, but also as the essential materials for clean technologies, forming the key to infrastructure and acting as a continuous driver of development for sustainable economies and societies worldwide.
However, the security of natural resources is facing growing challenges. Their unequal distribution across regions has resulted in significant import dependence for many countries, creating structural vulnerabilities. At the same time, supply chain fragility continues to threaten the stability of energy transitions, while rising resource dependence is intensifying geopolitical risks and fueling strategic competition that increasingly reshapes international relations and global security dynamics.
Natural resource use also presents a range of critical challenges. Large-scale extraction and infrastructure development often cause severe environmental damage and water and soil pollution, while displacing vulnerable populations and Indigenous communities (community displacement). Under worsening climate vulnerability, these impacts are further compounded by deep-rooted social inequality, reinforcing systemic risks in the global shift toward sustainable energy.
Addressing these issues calls for the establishment of more fair, inclusive, and transparent governance frameworks (need for fair governance). Only through such mechanisms can the development and use of natural resources support not just a secure and efficient energy future, but also one that protects ecosystems, promotes equity, and delivers lasting benefits to all.
Earth Day was first proposed by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson and officially launched on April 22, 1970. The inaugural event saw participation from over 20 million people, directly contributing to the establishment of key environmental legislation and institutions.
As global attention to environmental and climate issues has grown, the influence of Earth Day has continued to expand. Today, over one billion people from more than 190 countries participate in Earth Day activities each year, spanning diverse fields such as education, policy, the arts, and technology. Earth Day is not just a day of commemoration but a global civic movement, driving governments, businesses, and communities toward a sustainable future.
At this pivotal moment between ecological collapse and climate renewal, the 2025 Earth Day campaign calls for unified global action. Governments, businesses, financial institutions, academic institutions, and grassroots communities must work together to advance climate policies, build resilient renewable energy infrastructure, and ensure inclusive access to renewable energy. Achieving this vision requires not only the rapid expansion of renewable energy to phase out fossil fuels, but also a strong commitment to energy equity. All communities—particularly those most affected by environmental degradation and energy poverty—must have fair and meaningful access to the benefits and opportunities of a just energy transition.
Earth Day 2025 reminds us that a more sustainable future is still within our reach. By harnessing the collective power of society—our power—we can protect our planet. A just and resilient world is not merely a wish—it is already taking shape.
“Poster source: © 2025 Earthday.org. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 License. Non-commercial use only. No modifications allowed. View poster.”