Ethiopia Breaks World Record by Planting over 350 Million Trees in 12 Hours

Ethiopia exceeded their expectations by planting over 350 million trees in half a day. Their greater goal is to plant four billion trees before the end of the year.

“Today is a testimony that unity is power,” were the words of Ethiopia Prime Minister Amir Aman after his country achieved an impressive feat of planting over 350 million trees in just 12 hours. 

THE FEAT IS PART OF A GREATER INITIATIVE

The record-breaking achievement was part of Ethiopia’s forest restoration project called Green Legacy. Aman described it on Twitter as “a vision for the next generation. It is creating a blueprint for them and showing them the way.”

According to a study earlier last month, forest restoration could diminish greenhouse gas emissions by two-thirds.

As part of the initiative, the original goal was to plant 200 million seedlings in 12 hours.

However, they exceeded expectations when the country’s minister for innovation and technology, Getahun Mekuriarevealed that a total of 353,633,660 seedlings were actually planted in half a day on July 29. 

The historical day marks a new record for Guinness which previously listed India as the highest planting country in one day.

Proud of what his citizens accomplished, Aman wrote on Twitter, “Today is a testimony that unity is power! Ethiopians all together made history again!!!”

Ethiopia’s efforts are reportedly just a fraction of their greater goal for Green Legacy which is to plant four billion trees between May and October this year.

IT BROKE INDIA'S PREVIOUS RECORD

The historical day marks a new record for Guinness which previously listed India as the highest planting country in one day, with a record of more than 50 million trees planted three years ago.  

ETHIOPIA AND OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES AIM TO PLANT MORE

Ethiopia’s efforts are reportedly just a fraction of their greater goal for Green Legacy which is to plant four billion trees between May and October this year.

The country is one of two dozen African nations that pledged to restore 100 million hectares of land in Africa by 2030 realizing their forested area is down to less than 4% of its total land area due to drought and soil erosion in the last one hundred years. 

According to a study earlier last month, forest restoration could diminish greenhouse gas emissions by two thirds. With Africa playing a big role in this, it would be a huge help to combat global climate change.