During a tree-planting event held at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Director General of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Juan Lucas Restrepo, highlighted the significance of the Green Legacy Initiative in addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development.

Aligning with Ethiopia’s Ambitious Goals

• According to Ethiopian News Agency, the Green Legacy Initiative aligns with Ethiopia’s ambitious Green Legacy Initiative, which aims to plant billions of trees across the nation.
• The country is preparing to plant an impressive 700 million seedlings tomorrow.

During the tree planting event, Restrepo expressed admiration for Ethiopia’s proactive approach to combat climate change.

“Ethiopia is leading in green initiative, I see other countries that are catching up and following,” he said.

“I believe the example of Ethiopia needs to be followed not only in the ambition of the number of trees but how they are chosen, how we bring back the population of native trees, native species. All of these technical elements need to be considered by other countries as well,”

Benefits of Tree Planting

• Restrepo emphasized that trees are vital components of healthy ecosystems.
• “They provide essential services, such as carbon capture, water retention, and habitat restoration,” he noted.

He further elaborated on the numerous benefits of tree planting, highlighting that trees are crucial for maintaining ecological balance and supporting local biodiversity.

They provide essential services, such as carbon capture, water retention, and habitat restoration.