| UN-backed tree-planting drive hits 1 billion goal, Ethiopia among top-ranking countries |
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Addis Ababa, November 28, 2007 (WIC) - One billion trees have been planted under a drive backed by the United Nations and the World Agroforestry Centre across the world, and Ethiopia is among the top-ranking countries as it has planted over 700 million trees. According to UN News Center, Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the UN Environment Program, said the achievement of the goal ''is a further sign of the breathtaking momentum witnessed this year on the challenge for this generation – climate change.'' The campaign, he said, proved that ''given a focus and the chance to act, millions if not billions of people around this world want an end to pollution and environmental deterioration and have rolled up their sleeves and got their hands dirty to prove the point.'' Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan Green Belt founder and co-patron of the campaign, welcomed the success of the drive and praised those who had participated in it while calling for continued vigilance. ''Now we must keep the pressure on and continue the good work for the planet. Plant another tree today in celebration!'' While not all numbers are in, UNEP said the top-ranking countries appear to be Ethiopia, over 700 million trees planted; Mexico,217 million trees;Turkey,150 million;Kenya,100 million;Cuba,96.5 million;Rwanda,50 million; Republic of Korea,43 million; Tunisia,21 million; Morocco,20 million; Myanmar,20 million and Brazil,16 million. The Green Belt Movement planted 4.7 million trees, double the number of trees it had initially pledged. The Billion Tree Campaign was launched at UNEP headquarters in Nairobi last November. |
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