Catholic bishops to plant 5.5 million trees

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) is to plant 5.5 million trees over the next five years to mitigate the effects of climate change in the country.

Consequently, the conference launched a tree planting campaign tagged: ‘Green Revolution Campaign’, which is being championed by Caritas Nigeria.

Speaking at the launch of the project in Abuja, CBCN President, Rev. Lucius Ugorji, said that over 50 dioceses of the church have been directed to plant 20,000 trees respectively stressing that this would ensure that at least 1.1 million trees are planted every year.

He explained that the project is geared towards saving the environment from imminent destruction due to the menace of climate change which manifests in form of excessive rainfall, rising sea levels, floods, severe droughts, desert encroachment in 12 Northern states, loss of biodiversity and conflicts due to scramble for shrinking agricultural and grazing lands.

Ugorji noted that improper waste management is a major cause of environmental degradation, adding that tonnes of plastic materials choke, communities, and block drainages.

He observed that in addition to the social and economic benefits of effective waste management, reduction of environmental pollution by improving water quality and contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, which are the primary causes of climate change, waste management and actions taken from waste generation to its disposal, namely collection, transportation, treatment and disposal.

Also speaking, Executive Director, Caritas Nigeria, Rev. Ft Uchechukwu Obodoechina, said that the intervention would reduce farmer-herder crises and other climate change problems facing humans and animals.

Director-General of, National Agency for Great Green Wall, Dr. Yusuf Maina-Bukar, commended the bishop conference for the initiative, saying it would help to address threats to the livelihoods of over 40 million people.

Represented by the Director, Planning, Policy and Coordination in the Agency, Mrs. Habibah Ibrahim, the DG said tree planting was a major way of mitigating climate change and environmental degradation.

He stated that by this tree planting today, the Catholic Caritas is raising its voice to mitigate the detrimental effects of climate change and urged to other faith-based organisations to emulate the initiative.

“We urge other religious institutions across the country to emulate the action, to ensure a conducive environment and proper inculcation of sustainable environmental management in Nigeria,” he added.