Climate Change
Source: Investor News.
The world is currently battling with the effects of climate change which is one of the critical issues plaguing planet earth right now; weather patterns are changing, sea levels are rising etc. The impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale extending as far as jeopardizing the basic elements of good health such as; clean air, safe drinking water, enough healthy food, and a secure environment. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates show that climate change is predicted to result in an extra 250, 000 deaths per year between 2030 and 2050, owing to hunger, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress.
One of the ways of tackling climate change is by planting new trees and regrowing our already depleted forests, as carbon dioxide emissions that cause global warming are absorbed and stored by plants. Every year, we deforest around ten million hectares of forest land throughout the world. This is huge! Regrowing forests counter about half of the deforestation, so we lose around five million hectares each year. The tropics account for nearly 95% of this. Globally, 411Mha of tree cover were lost between 2001 and 2020, equating to a 10% drop in tree cover since 2000 and 165Gt of CO2 emissions.
Deforestation
Source: Owolabi David.
According to an online platform (IntactForests.org), timber harvesting (37%), agricultural expansion (28%), wildfire (21%), roads constructions for mining, pipelines, and power lines (12%), and road network expansions (2%) are among the major contributors to forest loss. The rising prices of petroleum products in Sub Saharan Africa coupled with extreme poverty, have prompted both rural and urban people to rely more on wood and charcoal as a source of fuel. As a result of this, a large portion of the region’s dense forests with important tree species have been destroyed and valuable woodlands have been rendered barren. The need to preserve/conserve our forest has never been greater. Reforestation and afforestation must be engaged as a weapon to fight the menace of climate change.
Impacts of Deforestation
Mass deforestation is bringing about several unpleasant impacts we are experiencing right now.
Loss of Biodiversity
Endangered Species
Source: https://www.weareteachers.com/quiz-endangered-species-knowledge/
Forests serves as habitats for a wide range of flora and fauna species all around the world. Destruction of our forest and vegetative cover over the years in the name of development has led to the loss and extinction of some of these beneficial species. This has caused a huge imbalance in our ecosystem.
Depletion of Carbon Sinks
Massive quantities of carbon are stored in forests and peat-lands, particularly in rain-forests. They act as carbon sinks, absorbing carbon that is released into the atmosphere from fossil fuels. Forests, on the other hand, emit carbon into the atmosphere when they are chopped down. The destruction of the world’s forests accounts for 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Livelihoods and Land Rights
Front-line communities and indigenous peoples are pushed out of their homes because of forest degradation, which violates their human rights and land rights while also undermining their way of life.
Importance of Tree Planting
Environmental Benefits
Aside helping to combat global warming, trees cool the environment via evaporative cooling and restricting the amount of sunlight that reaches buildings and other public areas in cities. Flooding and soil erosion are minimized by trees as large amount of rainwater are absorbed by trees. They also help to enhance air quality by filtering out dust and contaminants.
Health Benefits
Trees serve as shelter from UV radiation exposure, thus, preventing adverse health impacts. By absorbing and retaining dust and other pollutants in the air, trees assist to enhance air quality. They provide a calm environment which aid in reducing stress and depression.
Food Source
Trees are an important provider of macro- and micro-nutrients, as well as minerals and vitamins, and so help to reduce hunger and malnutrition. Tree food, which includes apples, peas, mangoes, oranges, bananas, and avocados, is consumed all over the world and is high in vitamins A and C, which are commonly deficient in many people’s diets.
Communal Benefits
Trees can enhance cooperation and togetherness among people. Neighborhood line of trees can form important landmarks creating pride in the residents. People can be brought together for educational reasons by using trees and forest settings. Area with trees enhances fun hobbies like birding or strolls.
Aesthetic values
The architecture and design of buildings, as well as entire communities, may be enhanced by trees. They improve city landscape and outlook, creating beautiful cities and neighborhood that attracts tourism.
Recommendations
To enhance the preservation of forest covers and trees in our neighborhoods, we must embrace the following recommendations amongst others:
Education/Awareness
There is need for massive sensitization and enlightenment on the negative impacts of deforestation and the importance of planting new trees and regrowing our depleted woodlands. This will further drive positive attitudinal and behavioral change that is needed.
Appropriate Policy Instruments
Governments must come up with appropriate policies aimed at curtailing deforestation and at the same time promoting planting of new trees and regrowing our depleted woodlands. This must be strictly implemented, because any policy without total adherence to their implementation plan is zero.
Tree Planting Should be Incentivized
To encourage participation in tree planting projects/activities, incentives can be provided for individuals, associations, or organizations who actively plant trees in their neighborhoods/communities. Tax rebates could also be offered to companies who carry out tree planting projects or are willing to partner with government agencies on tree planting initiatives as their corporate social responsibilities (CSR).
Partnerships
Partnerships should be fostered among community development associations, neighborhood associations, civil society groups and non-governmental organizations in providing grassroots interventions; they act as custodians/police on behalf of the government over their areas to curtail the incessant and unregulated felling of trees and removing of vegetative covers.
Ecological Funds
Governments should ensure the judicious use of ecological funds and other funds, or grants targeted at environmental intervention; these funds should be pumped into research and development of viable seedlings and planting of these seedlings thereafter. The seedlings should be made available to all and sundry at no cost to encourage tree planting. Research into other sources of clean energy should also be given priority too in other to reduce total dependence on wood and charcoal for cooking etc.
Effective Urban Planning
Due to the rise in global population, which is expected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030, effective urban and rural planning and management techniques should be adopted and implemented. This will enable the provision of green spaces in our rural areas and cities.
Environmental Impact Assessment
Before allocating any land for development, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is expected to be carried weighing the merits of the project against the demerits. EIA can stop a project if the demerits outweigh the merits or modify the project design to reduce the negative impacts. And in case the project is approved, an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is put in place to manage/minimize the environmental impacts of the project throughout the lifespan. Government of developing nations must ensure thorough implementation of the EIA process in their quest for development to minimize or curtail the negative impacts of deforestation.
Conclusively, without timely intervention now, the global average surface temperature would likely exceed 3 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. In response to climate change threats, each country pledged to endeavor to limit global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius under the Paris Agreement (COP21). Tree planting is one of the strategic national adaptation plans to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDG 13) – Climate Action. Tree planting is an activity for everyone to engage in at individual, community, cooperate and governmental levels.
You too can be involved!
Source: The Guardian Nigeria https://guardian.ng/news/afforestation-fg-to-plant-35-m-tree-seedlings-official/
Plant a tree today to promote a healthy environment!!!
The best time to plant a tree is now!!!
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