The Green Legacy Initiative demonstrates Ethiopia’s long-standing commitment to a multifaceted response to the effects of climate change and environmental degradation, which includes agroforestry, forest sector development, urban greening and renewal, and integrated water and soil resource management.
According to the United Nations, Green Legacy helps to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and trees provide other environmental benefits. They help prevent soil erosion, provide habitat for wildlife, and improve the quality of air and water.
The green economy is inclusive and nondiscriminatory, encouraging equal income distribution and opportunities while reducing disparities between individuals. Energy efficiency: A green economy focuses on using resources efficiently and in a circular manner, reducing waste to a minimum.
The initiative is a mass tree planting program launched by Ethiopia’s Prime Minister in 2019 with the goal of restoring degraded lands, increasing forest cover, and mitigating climate change. The initiative is significant as a comprehensive reforestation and conservation program aimed at addressing environmental, human health, and socioeconomic challenges.
The initiative creates job opportunities in nurseries, animal husbandry, beekeeping, poultry farming, and fruit and vegetable production. It is also expected to strengthen Ethiopia’s international reputation as a leader in climate change mitigation. The Green Legacy Initiative has demonstrated to the world the importance of practical solutions to global climate change challenges.
The Green Legacy Initiative is more than just a domestic program; it has established Ethiopia as a role model in the fight against environmental degradation and deforestation over the last five years. Ethiopia has distributed hundreds of thousands of saplings to neighboring countries, spearheading regional efforts to mitigate the effects of changing weather patterns and frequent disasters.
Significant progress has been made in incorporating the Green Legacy Initiative into regional initiatives and improving the safety of trans-boundary rivers shared by neighboring countries. Over 200 countries have adopted the initiative as a best practice, demonstrating the importance of practical actions beyond conferences in combating climate change.
According to the Gulele Botanical Garden, Ethiopia’s national afforestation campaign, which is part of the Green Legacy Initiative, has helped preserve the country’s indigenous plant species.
Ethiopia is one of the world’s most biodiversity-rich countries, with over 6,000 plant species, 600 of which are endemic. This natural resource is under threat from a variety of factors, including climate change, pollution, and natural resource misuse.
However, the Green Legacy Initiative, which has been in place for the past five years, has prioritized forestation and the preservation of indigenous trees. According to reports, more than 32 billion tree seedlings were planted over the last five years of the Green Legacy Initiative, with a 90% survival rate. As a result of the initiative’s activities, Ethiopia’s forest cover report increased from 17.2 percent in 2019 to 23.6 percent in 2023.
During the Green Legacy pre-launch program last week, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced plans to plant 7.5 billion trees as part of the National Green Legacy initiative this year under the theme “Generation that strengthens the country by planting trees.”
It was discovered that the country’s successive tree planting campaigns over the last several years have continued to focus on planting innovative trees. Brehanu Belay, the Director of Research and Development for Gulele Botanical Garden, discussed the conservation efforts that are currently underway to preserve indigenous trees close to extinction in the country.
According to Berhanu, tree planting campaigns conducted in recent years have helped raise awareness about the importance of nurturing and preserving trees for human use, as well as promoting the cognitive capacity of the country’s citizens.
He also stated that the National Green Legacy Initiative has allowed the center to expand its outreach program by popularizing and raising public awareness about the importance of planting and nurturing indigenous trees in the country.
The center is duplicating indigenous tree seedlings and distributing them to various institutions and communities for planting as part of the national green legacy initiative. The center is collecting samples of indigenous trees that are nearby to extinction and reproducing them in the center to ensure their survival.
Indigenous plants and trees used for traditional medicine and lumber are among those at risk of extinction. The task of preserving these indigenous trees should not be delegated to a single organization but done in a more coordinated manner at the national level.
The center is currently collaborating with various universities across the country to increase the preservation of endangered tree species.
In conclusion, considering its multifaceted advantages, stakeholders working in the area should provide unreserved support for Ethiopia’s green legacy initiative.
BY GIRMACHEW GASHAW
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 10 JULY 2024
