PM Abiy Announces the Launch of Annual Green Legacy Tree Planting

Addis Ababa, June 5/2020( ENA) Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed today officially announced the launch of the annual Green Legacy Initiative campaign that aims at planting 5 billion trees during this rainy season. 

In his message, Abiy said like other part of the world, Ethiopia has been confronted climate change and environmental degradation.

Therefore, countering climate change and paving the way for green growth has been one of Ethiopia`s key development objectives, he elaborated.

Citing the significance of climate resilient economy, he said “Our green legacy is critical to Ethiopia`s aspirations to build a green and climate resilient economy. Our greening efforts look at both rural and urban greening”.

PM Abiy further stated that his government is committed to meeting the target to plant in a COVID-19 responsive way.

“The only thing that makes this year`s different is the pandemic we are confronted with as a global community. Nevertheless, while our resilience will be tested, we are committed to meeting our set target to plant in COVID-19 responsive way”.

Prime Minister Abiy urged the global community to stand in solidarity with Ethiopia. “I call upon the global community to stand in solidarity with Ethiopia as we embark on this year`s green legacy season.”

Despite the spread of COVID-19, Ethiopia plans to plant 5 billion seedlings beginning today with a precautionary approach to avoid harmful repercussions.

The Green Legacy initiative initiated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last year, aspires to plant 20 billion trees till the end of 2024.

It is indicated that 84 percent of the four billion trees planted last year had survived, due to an extensive care-taking work undertaken to cultivate the planted seedlings throughout the year.

More than 20 million people were mobilized throughout the country in the first ever mass plating engagement last year. On a historic July day, Ethiopia also planted close to 354 million seedlings in a 12 hour period.

Although the current forest coverage of the country is at 15.5 percent mainly after the inclusion of low land forests, the national plan is to plant 1 billion trees each year and cover 1 million hectares, to reach 30 percent by 2030.

Ethiopia’s greenhouse gas emission, estimated 400 million tons by 2030, could be reduced to 250 million tones if plantations go with the current pace.