Earth Day is a relatively new concept at only 56 years since its inception. But the push to raise awareness about the fragility of our ecosystem has made incredible strides in that time, leading to federal, state and local efforts to protect our natural environment.

Momentum in that area is needed now more than ever. As global temperatures rise, communities such as those in Hampton Roads are threatened by increasingly rising seas and more frequent extreme weather, making this an urgent moment for action.

One of the most thrilling moments of the recent Artemis II mission occurred when the craft passed over the far side of the moon and snapped photos of the Earth rising over the lunar surface. A crescent of blue, green and white surrounded by the vast emptiness of space served as a powerful reminder of how precious and remarkable our home planet is — and why efforts to protect it are so necessary.

It recalled the famous “Earthrise” photo captured by astronauts aboard Apollo 8 in 1968, a year before Sen. Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconsin Democrat, announced plans for a “National Teach-In on the Crisis of the Environment” to be held at colleges across the country on April 22, 1970.

Awareness about the degradation of the environment had gained significant traction since 1962, when Rachel Carson published her landmark book “Silent Spring” about the harm posed by pesticides. Nelson, inspired by the teach-ins on American campuses during the Vietnam War, believed a similar effort focused on the environment could create momentum for change.

He was correct. The first Earth Day enjoyed strong participation nationwide and, importantly, motivated officials to take concrete steps to protect our air and water. Later that year, President Richard Nixon informed Congress of his plans to reorganize parts of the executive branch to form the Environmental Protection Agency, a federal agency dedicated to keeping the land, air and water clean for all Americans.

By nearly every measure, the EPA has been successful in carrying out its mission. Air pollution once choked cities such as New York, but legislation, enforced through EPA regulations, has sharply reduced harmful emissions. More bodies of water are safe for swimming and fishing; drinking water is cleaner than ever. Dangerous pesticides have been prohibited and contaminated lands have been addressed, all thanks to the EPA in partnership with state and local officials.

Where the agency has been less successful is in the fight against climate change, though the EPA doesn’t shoulder the blame alone. Greenhouse emissions continue to accelerate global temperatures, reducing hopes that the world can avoid reaching the tipping point of a 2 degree average increase over pre-industrial temperatures.

A warmer Earth means higher ocean temperatures, which leads to more frequent extreme weather events and less predictable conditions. That, in turn, affects everything from food production to public safety. An inability, or unwillingness, to address the causes of global warming will ultimately make our communities less hospitable for future generations.

That’s painfully evident in Hampton Roads, which is among the regions most threatened by rising sea levels. Recurrent flooding, already a headache for many residents, will become more frequent and destructive as temperatures continue to rise and water intrudes on homes, businesses, military installations and essential infrastructure.

In response to the overwhelming scientific evidence of these conditions and the forces that cause them, the Trump administration has chosen to be part of the problem. In February, the White House announced that it would withdraw the 2009 “endangerment finding” that underpins the regulatory framework to reduce greenhouse emissions, one of the greatest acts of environmental sabotage in the nation’s history.

Just as in 1970, the United States needs a movement to demand greater environmental action and a commitment to protecting our communities from the hazards we face. Inaction will condemn us to a grim future, one marked by heat waves, flooding, destruction and death. Earth Day’s history shows what we can accomplish if we choose a better path.