WWF-Pakistan to plant 1.4M trees by August 2019

Trees planted to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change

PHOTO:FILE

KARACHI:
WWF-Pakistan has pledged to plant a total of 1.4 million trees by August 2019 to help mitigate the adverse effects of climate change, regulate water cycles and increase the green cover across the country. They plan to achieve this goal through the active participation of different stakeholders, local communities and passionate individuals.

WWF-Pakistan’s campaign titled Rung Do Pakistan is an opportunity for all Pakistanis to come together and play their part in contributing positively towards protecting our ecosystem. According to the press statement, people can contribute by planting native tree species where they are or by donating money to the organisation so that it can plant a tree and fulfil its promise to the country.

In the first phase of the campaign, WWF-Pakistan and Call - the Band - WWF-Pakistan’s Goodwill Ambassadors, are partnering for one of the country’s biggest videographer collaborations in history. The music video showcases the diversity of Pakistan and encourages individual action to plant trees across the country. A total of 70 cities and villages with 50 videographers are on board.


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In the second phase of the campaign, WWF-Pakistan will launch its fundraising campaign where it plans to encourage individuals, corporates and partners to donate to the cause.

WWF-Pakistan Director-General Hammad Naqi Khan said that when they discuss environmental challenges, the suggested solutions often require policy changes at the government level. However, he added, that this campaign is different and this time the people of Pakistan are in control to bring about change by the simple act of planting a tree. “Through Rung Do Pakistan, we are encouraging individual action to plant trees in cities and villages across the length and breadth of the country,” he said, adding that they were focusing on only planting indigenous trees, which not only provide shelter to various birds and insect species but benefit local ecosystems too.

Through this campaign WWF-Pakistan aims to contribute to the Bonn Challenge, a global effort to restore 150 million hectares of the world’s deforested and degraded land by 2020, and 350 million hectares by 2030. It is expected that 1.4 million trees at maturity will sequester 70 million pounds of atmospheric carbon dioxide. It is also estimated that the raising of 1.4 million plants from potted plants, cutting and sowing will generate 8,750 man-days of employment for locals and 1,400 hectares of forest cover will recharge about 1,344 million litres of water annually.
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