The Ministry of Environmental Protection released the Chinese Theme on the June 5 World Environment Day of "Green Olympics and Environment-friendly Society" as well as the logo of the day. It requested various localities to mobilize all social forces to participate in environmental protection and drive relevant activities to a new high centered on the Chinese theme by focusing on "holding a green Olympic Games, promoting energy conservation and emission reduction, advocating conservation culture and building an environment-friend society".

It was reported that UNEP has defined the theme of the World Environment Day 2008 as "Kick the habit! Towards a low carbon economy". In order to echo this theme, demonstrate the determination and action of the Chinese government as well as its people to hold a green Olympic Games and based on the central task of environmental protection of this year, the MEP has designated the Chinese theme of the 2008 World Environment Day as "Green Olympics and Environment-friendly Society", which aims to call for the participation in environmental protection by everyone, the promotion of the sound establishment of conservation culture across the society and contribution to a successful green Olympic Games and the building of an environment-friendly society through the popularization of the concept of green Olympic Games and conservation culture.

MEP will also release the 2007 Report on the State of the Environment in China as well as the progress in pollution reduction work amid activities held on June 5, and a string of popularization and commemoration activities including the environmental protection knowledge contest on "Jointly Building An Environment-friendly Society", campaigns and media coverage on energy conservation and emission reduction policies, measures and effects as well as the review on the rectification of such areas as prohibited of project approval will also be unfolded in June.

According to relevant sources, the Chinese theme logo of this year's June 5 World Environment Day has employed the traditional calligraphy and painting techniques and integrated the design elements of earth and five Olympic rings to convey the notion of "holding a green Olympic Games, promoting energy conservation and emission reduction, advocating conservation culture and building an environment-friend society", thus reflecting the theme of "Green Olympics" and "Environment-friendly Society". The drawing of the logo is available on the website of MEP (www.mep.gov.cn) for free download and use.

Description of the design:

1.The logo denotes the basic designing concept of "Green Olympics and Environment-friend Society" by employing the elements of earth and five Olympic rings. The design has incorporated the special traditional culture form of Chinese calligraphy and painting for the embodiment of the harmonious structure of "Green Olympics". It directly conveys the idea of "holding a green Olympic Games, promoting energy conservation and emission reduction, advocating conservation culture and building an environment-friend society", thus reflecting the theme of "Green Olympics" and "Environment-friendly Society", and the logo and the emblem of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games of "Chinese seal" are adding radiance to each other.

2.The logo highly generalizes and embodies the national traits of the Chinese nation. Displaying broad visual perspective on the whole, it is rich in artistic image and room for imagination and can be extensively applied. The logo is very elegant with strong visual impact and profound culture implication and can be easily recognized and remembered.