Addis Ababa, July 1, 2026 (ENA) — Ethiopia is stepping up efforts to harness carbon markets as a tool to advance sustainable agriculture, strengthen climate resilience, and create new economic opportunities, officials said. The officials made these remarks during the Second Agriculture Science Seminar Series held in Addis Ababa. The conference, organized by the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) in collaboration with the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences Agriculture Working Group and the Ministry of Agriculture, was held under the theme "Carbon Markets in Ethiopia: Opportunities, Governance, and Implications for Sustainable Agricultural Development." The conference brought together government officials, researchers, academics, development partners, private sector representatives, and practitioners. Opening the event, State Minister for Environment, Climate Change, and Demography at the Ministry of Planning and Development, Seyoum Mekonnen said Ethiopia has introduced comprehensive policies and practical measures to address climate change through strengthened mitigation efforts and climate governance. He noted that the country has adopted a Long-Term Low Emissions Development Strategy and a National Adaptation Plan to reinforce its climate response while pursuing a green growth and low-carbon development pathway. Seyoum further emphasized that Ethiopia is expanding investments in renewable energy through the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) alongside solar and wind energy projects to increase clean power generation and strengthen its role as a regional energy hub. The government is also promoting electric vehicles to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector, he added. Similarly, State Minister for Natural Resources Development at the Ministry of Agriculture, Eyasu Elias, affirmed that carbon markets offer Ethiopia an opportunity to translate scientific knowledge, sound policies, and innovation into sustainable economic gains while contributing to global climate action. The Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) has evolved beyond a tree planting campaign into a nationwide movement aimed at restoring degraded landscapes, improving climate resilience, conserving biodiversity, and strengthening food security, he added. According to Eyasu, Ethiopia has already laid much of the groundwork required to participate in international carbon markets. The next priority, he said, is to convert these achievements into scientifically verified climate assets capable of generating long term benefits for local communities. For his part, ATI Chief Executive Officer Mandefro Nigussie underscored the need for stronger collaboration among government institutions, research organizations, development partners, and the private sector to support Ethiopia's climate and agricultural transformation agenda through evidence-based policymaking. Participants concluded the seminar by calling for stronger research, improved policy coordination, and enhanced institutional capacity to ensure carbon markets effectively support sustainable agricultural development, climate resilience, and inclusive rural transformation in Ethiopia.

Addis Ababa, June 30, 2026 (ENA) —Ambassadors who took part in planting seedlings in the vicinity of Addis Ababa today have lauded Ethiopia's continuing Green Legacy initiative that helps to preserve nature and restore the environment. EU, Israel, and Romania Ambassadors as well as Oman’s Head of Mission described the nationwide tree-planting as a model initiative that can drive climate action in the region and beyond. The initiative, launched in 2019, has been gaining momentum nationally and drawing growing attention globally as Ethiopia accelerates efforts to restore ecosystems and address climate change. As part of international support for the initiative, the diplomatic community based in Addis Ababa have been taking part in the annual tree seedlings planting program. Speaking to ENA, EU Ambassador to Ethiopia, Sofie From-Emmesberger, said the Green Legacy initiative is significant for multiple reasons, emphasizing that tree planting supports climate resilience by strengthening forests and ecosystems.   She noted the initiative’s connection to Ethiopia’s broader transition toward greener development, including renewable energy cooperation, with investments involving partners such as Denmark, and in the future additional support linked to efforts from France and the EU. From-Emmesberger observed that the campaign is ambitious and urged sustained attention to the long-term impact, adding that the trees will need time to grow fully before climate benefits become more visible. The Ambassador described the participation of diplomats as a way to demonstrate collective support and multilateral commitment towards combating impacts of climate change. She further pointed out the urgency of coordinated climate action, referencing recent extreme heat in Europe and stressing that climate change has no borders. In this regard, as Ethiopia is set to host COP32 next year, it will play a central role in global efforts of advancing climate action, Ambassador From-Emmesberger added. Israel’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Avraham Neguise, said the Green Legacy initiative is important not only for Ethiopia but for the entire planet, stressing that climate challenges affect all countries.   He said Ethiopia is demonstrating leadership worldwide and praised the structured and organized approach behind the initiative. Ambassador Neguise referenced his country’s experience of transformation from a desert environment to a greener landscape, describing it as evidence of what can be achieved through policy, planning, and consistent effort. The diplomats’ tree planting program at Entoto Park today is a historic opportunity for international participation, he added. On her part, Romanian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Julia Pataki, said her engagement in the tree planting was meaningful and praised the Green Legacy initiative as unique and beyond planting trees. It is restoring nature, according to Ambassador Pataki.   She stressed that such efforts need to encourage protecting life locally, across the continent, and globally. Oman’s Head of Mission in Ethiopia, Afkar Al Farsi said he was proud to participate in the diplomats’ tree planting program, commending Ethiopia for planting billions of tree seedlings that help to preserve nature and restore the environment. The efforts of Ethiopia are vital for slowing global warming through combating climate change impacts, he added.   The Head of Mission affirmed that Oman is supporting Ethiopia’s efforts while pursuing similar environmental projects, including an Omani initiative to plant 1 billion palm trees.

Addis Ababa, June 30, 2026 (ENA) —A Green Legacy Initiative tree-planting ceremony was held today at Entoto Park, bringing together members of the diplomatic community and senior Ethiopian officials. The move is considered as a demonstration of international solidarity and a shared commitment to combating climate change, restoring ecosystems, and advancing sustainable development. The tree-planting event brought together members of the diplomatic community and Ethiopian officials, reinforcing the growing international support for the Green Legacy Initiative, which has evolved into one of the world’s largest environmental restoration programs. Speaking during the event, State Minister of Foreign Affairs Hadera Abera said environmental protection is a collective responsibility that requires coordinated global action. “The participation of the diplomatic community reflects the understanding that climate change is a global challenge that no country can address alone,” he said. The state minister also stressed that stronger international cooperation is essential to building a more resilient and sustainable future. Hadera highlighted the remarkable progress achieved since the Green Legacy Initiative was launched in 2019, stating that millions of Ethiopians have participated in the nationwide campaign and that more than 50 billion tree seedlings have been planted across the country. According to him, the initiative is helping restore degraded landscapes, conserve biodiversity, strengthen climate resilience, improve water and soil resources, and create green employment opportunities, while contributing to Ethiopia’s broader sustainable development objectives. The state minister also linked Ethiopia’s environmental ambitions to its growing international engagement, emphasizing that continued collaboration with diplomatic missions and development partners will further strengthen the country’s climate and environmental agenda. Also speaking at the event, Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority Director General Kumera Wakjira commended members of the diplomatic community for joining the nationwide campaign, describing their participation as a powerful demonstration of international partnership in environmental stewardship.   He said the event represented more than a symbolic tree-planting exercise, reaffirming a shared commitment to conserving nature, restoring ecosystems, protecting biodiversity, and building a climate-resilient future. Kumera described the Green Legacy Initiative as one of the world’s most ambitious environmental restoration efforts, reflecting Ethiopia’s strong commitment to climate action, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development. He noted that habitat loss, deforestation, land degradation, and climate change continue to pose serious threats to wildlife and ecosystems, adding that Ethiopia is responding through ecosystem restoration, protected area management, and community-based conservation programs. Highlighting the significance of the venue, Kumera said Entoto Park holds strategic ecological, recreational, and tourism value, serving as an important watershed, biodiversity habitat, and green space for the capital.   “Every tree planted contributes to cleaner air, greater carbon sequestration, improved soil and water conservation, and healthier habitats for wildlife, while also supporting sustainable livelihoods,” he said. The participants of the diplomatic community underscores the growing international recognition of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative as a model for collective climate action and demonstrates the importance of global partnerships, ENA lesrned.

By Yordanos D.   June 28, 2026 (ENA) As climate change accelerates and environmental degradation intensifies across the globe, the search for practical, scalable solutions has never been more urgent. Forests continue to disappear at alarming rates, fertile soils are being depleted, biodiversity is under unprecedented pressure, and increasingly severe droughts, floods, and extreme weather events are threatening food systems and livelihoods on every continent. For many developing countries, balancing economic growth with environmental protection remains one of the greatest policy challenges of the century. Ethiopia, however, is charting a different course—demonstrating that restoring nature and advancing sustainable development can go hand in hand. Through the Green Legacy Initiative (GLI), launched in 2019, Ethiopia has transformed ecological restoration into a national development agenda. What began as a nationwide tree-planting campaign has evolved into one of the world’s largest environmental restoration movements. Evidently, GLI is helping the East African nation accelerate the integration of afforestation, watershed rehabilitation, biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, and climate resilience into a single, long-term development strategy. By placing environmental stewardship at the center of national development, Ethiopia is demonstrating that restoring degraded landscapes can simultaneously strengthen food security, create economic opportunities, improve climate resilience, and safeguard natural resources for future generations. The initiative has increasingly attracted international attention.   This recognition stems not simply from the extraordinary number of trees planted, but from the initiative’s holistic approach, which brings together science, sound policy, and unprecedented public participation. According to official figures, Ethiopia planted nearly 50 billion tree seedlings between 2019 and 2025. The 2026 Green Legacy campaign aims to add anotherc8 billion seedlings, bringing the cumulative total to well over 58 billion. Beyond the impressive numbers, government reports indicate that survival rates have steadily improved through better species selection, expanded watershed rehabilitation, stronger community ownership, and improved post-planting management—highlighting a growing emphasis on quality alongside quantity. The initiative also aligns closely with Ethiopia’s Climate-Resilient Green Economy Strategy, the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100), the Paris Agreement, and the Bonn Challenge, positioning the country as an active contributor to global climate action. Protecting an Extraordinary Natural Heritage Ethiopia is among Africa’s most ecologically diverse countries. Home to more than 6,500 species of flowering plants, approximately 12 percent of them endemic. The country also provides sanctuary for some of the world’s most iconic wildlife, including the Ethiopian wolf, Walia ibex, Gelada baboon, Mountain Nyala, Swayne’s hartebeest, and hundreds of endemic bird species. Its twelve major river basins—including the Blue Nile, Awash, Omo, Baro-Akobo, Genale-Dawa, Wabi Shebelle, Rift Valley Lakes, Mereb, and Tekeze—support agriculture, hydropower generation, industry, and the livelihoods of more than 130 million people. Moreover, Ethiopia’s highlands supply water that sustains millions of people well beyond its national borders, making the country’s environmental health a regional concern. Yet this remarkable natural heritage has faced decades of mounting pressure.   Rapid population growth, agricultural expansion, deforestation, overgrazing, illegal logging, unsustainable fuelwood extraction, and the growing impacts of climate change have significantly degraded forests, watersheds, and fertile landscapes. Forest cover, estimated at nearly 40 percent at the beginning of the twentieth century, had fallen below 15 percent by the early 2000s. Each year, an estimated 1.5 billion tons of fertile topsoil are lost to erosion, reducing agricultural productivity, increasing flood risks, degrading water resources, and imposing enormous economic costs. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), land degradation remains one of Ethiopia’s most serious environmental challenges, affecting millions of hectares of productive land and posing long-term risks to food security and rural livelihoods. More Than a Tree-Planting Campaign Recognizing the scale of these challenges, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched the Green Legacy Initiative with a vision extending far beyond planting trees.   Rather than treating afforestation as an isolated environmental activity, Ethiopia adopted an integrated landscape restoration model that combines reforestation, watershed rehabilitation, biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, sustainable agriculture, urban greening, and ecosystem restoration. Thousands of nurseries now produce indigenous tree species alongside coffee seedlings, bamboo, fruit trees, avocado, medicinal plants, fodder crops, and other economically valuable species suited to Ethiopia’s diverse ecological zones. Equally important has been the expansion of soil and water conservation measures. Terraces, stone bunds, check dams, hillside closures, and watershed rehabilitation programs have reduced erosion, restored springs, improved groundwater recharge, and significantly increased seedling survival. Across many previously degraded landscapes, these interventions are helping revive ecosystems while restoring agricultural productivity. The initiative has also promoted agroforestry, enabling farmers to integrate trees with crops and livestock. This diversified farming approach improves soil fertility, conserves moisture, increases crop yields, generates additional household income, and enhances resilience against recurring droughts.   A Nationwide Environmental Movement Perhaps the Green Legacy Initiative’s greatest achievement lies not only in its environmental outcomes but in its ability to mobilize an entire nation. Every rainy season, millions of Ethiopians—including farmers, students, civil servants, youth groups, religious institutions, businesses, security forces, development partners, and local communities—join coordinated tree-planting campaigns across the country. Few environmental programs anywhere in the world have generated such sustained levels of public participation. Environmental restoration has increasingly become a shared civic responsibility rather than solely a government program. Schools, universities, public institutions, and private companies have incorporated environmental conservation into their annual activities, fostering a new generation of environmental stewardship. The initiative has also created employment opportunities through nursery development, forest management, watershed rehabilitation, and community-based conservation, while supporting more sustainable rural livelihoods. Strengthening Climate Resilience The benefits of Green Legacy extend well beyond expanding forest cover. Healthy forests absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide, helping mitigate climate change while improving local rainfall patterns, stabilizing soils, protecting watersheds, conserving biodiversity, reducing flood risks, and improving water quality. These ecosystem services strengthen both environmental sustainability and economic resilience. The initiative also directly contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals, including climate action, life on land, clean water and sanitation, food security, poverty reduction, and sustainable cities. By protecting forests and wildlife habitats, Green Legacy is also enhancing Ethiopia’s growing ecotourism potential while preserving landscapes of exceptional ecological and cultural value.   From National Vision to Global Inspiration The Green Legacy Initiative has increasingly drawn international recognition not only because of its unprecedented scale but also because of its integrated restoration model. Environmental experts, development partners, and international organizations increasingly point to Ethiopia as an example of how strong political leadership, scientific planning, and broad public participation can accelerate landscape restoration. Beyond planting tens of billions of seedlings, Ethiopia has rehabilitated millions of hectares of degraded land, restored critical watersheds, expanded urban green spaces, and strengthened ecosystem services essential for agriculture, water security, and climate resilience. Certainly, important challenges remain. Protecting restored forests, preventing illegal logging, strengthening community ownership, maintaining high seedling survival rates, and adapting to increasingly unpredictable climate conditions will require sustained commitment and continued investment. Nevertheless, the initiative demonstrates that large-scale ecological restoration is not only technically achievable but also economically beneficial. At a time when climate change is increasingly threatening livelihoods across continents, Ethiopia offers an important reminder that environmental restoration can serve as a powerful engine for sustainable development rather than an obstacle to economic growth.   Investing in the Future The Green Legacy Initiative represents far more than an ambitious tree-planting campaign. It reflects Ethiopia’s long-term commitment to restoring degraded ecosystems while building a climate-resilient, environmentally sustainable, and economically stronger future. Through strategic planning, scientific management, sustained political leadership, and the active participation of millions of citizens, the initiative has helped reverse land degradation, restore watersheds, expand forest cover, strengthen biodiversity conservation, and improve rural livelihoods. Although continued investment and long-term stewardship remain essential, the progress achieved over the past several years demonstrates that large-scale ecological restoration is both possible and transformative. As nations around the world search for effective responses to the climate crisis, Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative offers a compelling lesson: restoring nature is not simply an environmental obligation. It is an investment in economic resilience, human well-being, and a more sustainable future for generations to come.