Background
In April 2005 the initiative was put forward by the Tanzanian Delegation to UNESCO's Executive Board, which adopted the proposal nem. con. A Draft Resolution on proclamation of the International Year of Planet Earth in 2008 has been adopted by Commission III at UNESCO's 33rd General Conference on October 12th, 2005. By then, 97 UN Member States have explicitly expressed their support for the initiative. The UN proclamation by consensus took place on 22nd of December 2005 by the Plenary Session of the General Assembly in New York.

UN Press Release
"By a draft on the International Year of Planet Earth, 2008, which the Committee approved without a vote on 11 November, the Assembly would declare 2008 the International Year of Planet Earth. It would also designate the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to organize activities to be undertaken during the Year, in collaboration with UNEP and other relevant United Nations bodies, the International Union of Geological Sciences and other Earth sciences societies and groups throughout the world. Also by that draft, the Assembly would encourage Member States, the United Nations system and other actors to use the Year to increase awareness of the importance of Earth sciences in achieving sustainable development and promoting local, national, regional and international action."

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