Hope is the driving force that moves human beings forward. It allows humans to see the future with brightest anticipation.
The recent tree seedlings planting campaign targeted to plant 500 million saplings in a span of 12 hours and break own record is one way that Ethiopians have shown their hope and aspiration to see the greener, prosperous Ethiopia.
Ethiopians have shown their commitment, unity and their hope to see the greener and prosperous Ethiopia. Including children, elderly and individuals with disabilities have joined their hands to rewrite history through planting tree seedlings all over Ethiopia.
Dawit Assefa, a resident of Addis, was among those individuals who have been patiently and eagerly waiting Monday, July 17th, 2023, to join the campaign of planting 500 million tree seedlings in 12 hours. Despite the rainy and cloudy weather of Monday, Dawit and his friends did not waste a single minute to take part in the mass seedling planting program, put their fingerprints thereby rewrite history by planting tree seedlings.
After Dawit successfully discharged his responsibility, this reporter had a chance to have a short stay and learn his reflection about the Green Legacy Initiative (GLI). According to Dawit, Green Legacy Initiative is one of Ethiopia’s ambitions planned to rehabilitate degraded lands, increase nation’s forest coverage and mitigate the severe impacts of climate change. However, in addition to its primary goals, the initiative has demonstrated Ethiopians’ unity and commitment. The campaign has comprehensively mobilized almost all Ethiopians regardless of any differences and it is an initiative where unity and commitment is witnessed.
“While I was planting seedlings, I have witnessed peoples’ commitment, unity and their hope for the future. Where there is unity there is commitment; where there is hope there is future generation. That is why we, Ethiopians, are effectively discharging our responsibility by planting trees and mitigating climate change,” he remarked.
According to him, even though an ideological difference is an inevitable phenomenon, Ethiopians always put aside their disagreements and stand in unison when the issue of Ethiopia is raised. This fact was also demonstrated more than once, for instance, concerning the construction of the Abbay Hydroelectric Dam.
The Initiative to green Ethiopia did not only mobilize strong and able individuals like Dawit. It has also inspired elders and peoples with disabilities. During the interview with ENA, elders have expressed their delight for being part of this historic day.
Aynalem Gashaw, is among those committed elderly Ethiopians who went out of their home early to plant trees with the intention of contributing their share for the development of the nation and to leave their legacy for the next generation. “I am very happy for getting the opportunity to leave my fingerprint for the future generation.”
Hagere Alemu is a visually impaired woman, who did not give an excuse for her physical disability when she heard the call to participate on Green Legacy Initiative. According to her, protecting mother earth from all forms of climate change related crisis should not only be left to able citizens. It is the responsibility of everyone. “That is why I rose early from my bed and left my legacy by planting tree seedlings.”
In addition to Ethiopian citizens, there were also ambassadors, members of the diplomatic community, and others who actively engaged in the tree planting campaign.
China Ambassador to Ethiopia, Zhao Zhiyuan and Embassy’s staff were among those diplomatic communities that showed commitment to take part in the 500 million tree seedlings planting campaign and leave their mark in a mission.
According to Ambassador Zhao, China is committed to sustainable development and to the principle of prioritizing resource conservation and environmental protection and letting nature restore itself. The Green Legacy Initiative proposed by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) in 2019 aimed at creating a green and climate resilient Ethiopia. Appreciating Ethiopia’s pursuit of green and sustainable development, the Ambassador said Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative which corresponds to China’s ecological civilization is part of the Chinese path towards modernization.
Chinese Embassy is proud to be part of this historic moment where Ethiopians planned to plant 500 million tree seedlings within a single day and break their own previous record, he said.
“Using the Green Legacy Initiative, Ethiopians will combat the effects of climate change, restore degraded landscapes and forests, promote a green culture and ecotourism and improve the livelihood of Ethiopians.”
On his part, Director General of Middle East, Asia and Pacific Countries Affairs, Ambassador Gebeyehu Ganga (PhD) who happen to be at the Embassy said that the Green Legacy Initiative is a demonstration of Ethiopia’s long term commitment to a multifaceted response to the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. “This has an immense contribution to Ethiopia`s efforts to meet its international commitments such as the Paris Climate Change Agreement, 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and Agenda 2063.”
With the target set to plant 20 billion seedlings within a period of four years, (in the first phase of the initiative) Ethiopia has succeeded in planting 25 billion seedlings, surpassing the targets, by mobilizing more than 20 million citizens throughout the nation. Appreciating China`s efforts to address climate change and its international cooperation in the area, Amb. Gebeyehu said that Ethiopia and China are working closely on the Ecological Civilization agenda to promote green economic transformation and ecological security.
This is an era where the whole planet earth is suffering from natural disaster. Due to man`s intervention on the normal and natural functioning of the globe, climate change has become one of the major challenges of our time by causing unparalleled threats not only to the environment but also human beings.
Countries regardless of economic might or disaster prevention capabilities have been grappling with the problem of what could better be said to be self-inflicted wounds. Global warming, flooding, drought, hunger, and others are seriously affecting the social and economic functioning of human kinds.
There has been an outcry and calls from environmentalists to act urgently and do whatever possible to curtail the growing global challenge. However, almost all the outcries and pleads, further than being mere rhetoric, did not turn into actions and yield significant outcomes.
This especially true for those economically advanced nations that are contributing the greatest share to global warming and climate change. In contrast, developing countries that have contributed little to the problems are the one who are suffering from climate change related and, the one striving to mitigate the consequences come to happen due to the change. Ethiopia is a good example in this regard. Starting from the time the nation launched the Green Legacy Initiative in 2019, the country by mobilizing its human capital and allotting significant amount of capital has planted billions of tree seedlings; and continued in greening Ethiopia.
All the past Green Legacy Initiatives were events where every Ethiopians have shown unreserved efforts and positive results have been exhibited in most parts of the country. Places that were once depleted are now revived and covered with green plants. However, the issue of climate change is not a onetime agenda. Rather, it needs perseverance and further unity. The commitment and togetherness Ethiopians have shown within the past four years to leave their fingerprints in the Green Legacy Initiative should keep its momentum so as to deliver a safer and greener Ethiopia for the coming generation.
BY LEULSEGED WORKU
The Ethiopian Herald July 20/2023
