Ethiopias Green Legacy A Model For Climate Resilience Or A PR Stunt
Ethiopia’s ‘Green Legacy’ Initiative: Unprecedented Tree Planting Efforts Raise Hopes and Questions
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia’s “Green Legacy Initiative” is continuing its ambitious journey of reforestation, with a recent mass planting event showcasing the nation’s ongoing commitment to environmental restoration. The initiative, launched in 2019 by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, has become a hallmark of the country’s efforts to combat climate change, reverse deforestation, and build a sustainable future.
On a single day, citizens across Ethiopia mobilized to plant 700 million seedlings, a new goal that surpassed previous records. This one-day campaign is a significant part of the larger 2025 effort, which aims to plant a total of 7.5 billion seedlings during the rainy season. According to official sources, this would bring the total number of trees planted since the initiative began to over 47.5 billion, with the country targeting 54 billion by the end of next year.
The “Renewal Through Planting” campaign for 2025 is more than just a numbers game; it is an integrated strategy with a focus on sustainable development. The initiative’s foundational pillars include broad public mobilization, cost-effective agroecological innovation, and the integration of reforestation with socioeconomic development. The government reports that the campaign has already had a positive impact on the country’s forest cover, which has increased from 17.2% in 2019 to 23.6% by 2023.
Beyond environmental benefits, the Green Legacy Initiative is also having a tangible impact on the economy and livelihoods. The program has been credited with creating hundreds of thousands of jobs and fostering food sovereignty through the planting of fruit-bearing trees. The government has noted a rise in the export of agricultural products like avocados, showcasing a direct economic return from the environmental efforts.
However, the initiative is not without its challenges. While the scale of the project is unprecedented, experts and researchers have pointed to issues such as varying tree survival rates, logistical complexities in coordination, and the need for more effective follow-up and monitoring. There have been concerns about a lack of data transparency and the absence of a central organizing office, which can make it difficult to accurately assess the long-term success of the planted seedlings. Some studies also highlight that, despite the massive planting efforts, deforestation rates remain a significant impediment to increasing national forest coverage.
In response to these concerns, the government has emphasized the importance of a national coordination committee that conducts weekly performance reviews. The campaign also focuses on a mix of species, including indigenous, fast-growing, and fruit-bearing trees, to ensure biodiversity and provide economic benefits for local communities.
As Ethiopia prepares to host the 2nd African Climate Summit, the Green Legacy Initiative is positioned as a model for climate resilience and environmental stewardship. It demonstrates how political will, community engagement, and a long-term vision can mobilize a nation to address global environmental challenges, setting a precedent for other developing countries to follow.
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