Who Planted the Most Trees in the World?

Planting trees is one of the greatest environmental acts we can do to mitigate the effects of climate change. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, provide oxygen, and offer habitats for biodiversity. In recent years, countries and organizations around the world have launched massive reforestation campaigns to combat deforestation and global warming. But who has planted the most trees in the world? Here are some of the top contenders:

China

China is known for its ambitious tree-planting schemes, aimed at reversing the damage of decades of logging and soil erosion. In March 2018, the country launched a plan to plant 6.66 million hectares (about 16.4 million acres) of new forest, equivalent to the size of Ireland, in the next five years. Although it is not clear how many trees this would entail, China is already the world's largest planter of trees, with an estimated 68,000 square kilometers (26,000 square miles) of forest added every year. The country has been planting trees since the 1970s, and the government claims that it has planted over 66 billion trees so far.

India

India has also made a significant effort to increase its forest cover in recent years. In 2016, it set the target of planting 2 billion trees by 2020 in an initiative called the Green India Mission. This was part of a larger plan to increase the country's forest cover by 5 million hectares (12.35 million acres) in the next ten years. Reportedly, over 1.2 billion trees have been planted under this scheme so far, covering an area of 15,000 square kilometers (5,791 square miles).

Ethiopia

Ethiopia has also been in the news for its ambitious tree-planting campaigns. In July 2019, the country planted more than 350 million trees in a single day, as part of a nationwide reforestation project. The aim was to plant 4 billion trees in the country by the end of that year. The government claimed that with the help of volunteers, over 3 billion trees were planted in the first six months of the project. If verified, this would be a world record for the most trees planted in a single year.

Pakistan

Pakistan is another country striving to combat deforestation and increase forest cover. The country launched the '10 billion tree tsunami' initiative in 2018, aiming to plant 10 billion trees in the country by 2023. This would be equivalent to the forest cover the country had at the dawn of the industrial age. In the first year of the initiative, 1.181 billion trees were planted across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province alone. The government claims that over 3.3 billion trees have been planted across the country so far.

The Green Belt Movement

Lastly, we have an organization that has contributed significantly to reforestation efforts in Africa. The Green Belt Movement, founded by the late Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai in 1977, aims to empower local communities, especially women, to grow their own trees and conserve their natural resources. Over the past four decades, the organization has planted over 51 million trees in Africa, providing habitats for birds and wildlife, and promoting community development.

Conclusion

There are many countries and organizations around the world that are working tirelessly towards reforestation and afforestation. While it is difficult to determine who has planted the most trees in the world, China and India are undoubtedly at the forefront of this movement. But no matter where you are, planting just one tree can make a significant difference in reducing your carbon footprint and preserving our planet for future generations.