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CALL TO ACTION: PLANT A TRILLION TREES

There is no doubt that our world is changing. The entire planet was shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic as it swept across continents and nations bringing global economies and corporations to a screeching halt.

Millions of people also continue to suffer losses from catastrophic droughts, hurricanes, floods and wildfires. Climate Change is reshaping the earth and the urgency for action has never been greater.

Why plant trees?

According to the 2019 IPCC Special Report, better land management can contribute to tackling climate change, including through so called nature-based solutions (NBS) that lock up carbon in the world’s forests, grasslands and wetlands. Latest science suggests that NBS can provide up to one-third of the emissions reductions required by 2030 to meet the Paris Agreement targets.

The IPCC is however equally clear on NBS not being a silver bullet and that emission reductions from all sectors is essential for meeting the targets of the Paris Agreement. Indeed, to be effective climate solutions, NBS such as forest restoration, forest conservation, reforestation or natural regeneration need to be part of a broader strategy to protect nature and tackle climate change.

Although we have lost nearly half of the trees in the world within the last 100 years, nations like Costa Rica are making efforts to replenish lost forests.

What is 1t.org?

Forward-thinking corporate leaders who understand the urgent need to heal our planet are supporting environmentalists who have been in the fight for decades. We’ve joined forces—a businessperson and a conservationist—to support the Trillion Tree challenge (1T.org), an effort to bring together old and new partners to add momentum to the regreening of our planet and plant 1 trillion trees around the world by 2030. Companies joined by NGOs and youth movements as well as a number of governments, such as the U.S., have pledged their support for this solution. Those involved will be able to share best practices, with a major goal of maintaining biodiversity standards.

1t.org exists to connect, empower and mobilize a global reforestation community of millions, unleashing their potential to act at an unprecedented scale and speed, to ensure the conservation and restoration of one trillion trees within this decade.

1t.org is a World Economic Forum initiative, designed to support the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030, led by UNEP and FAO. 1t.org offers a platform for leading governments, businesses, civil society and ecopreneurs committed to serving the global trillion trees community.

Why 1t.org?

This effort could capture an estimated 200 gigatonnes of carbon over the coming decades, an amount equal to two-thirds of the pollution produced since the Industrial Revolution. But it will take time for young trees to capture the same amount of CO2 as mature forests. That is why we need many new partners to join the tens of thousands of efforts already under way.

There is already significant momentum and action around reforestation — there are many hundreds of organizations doing important work to conserve and restore forests at scale – for example: the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021 -2030, the Bonn Challenge, Trillion Trees Initiative, the Global Partnership on Forest and Landscape Restoration and many others.

There is an opportunity to help join-up these initiatives (and many others) and provide them with support in critical areas – specifically helping to mobilize funds and political support, and allowing them to connect with, inspire and enable more champions and  entrepreneurs on the ground.

In addition to climate benefits, trees are also important for wildlife and biodiversity.

1t.org is being launched to help solve this issue and bridge this gap, creating a unifying platform for the reforestation community, mobilizing political will and resources, and providing a pathway for anyone who wants to help to join the reforestation movement — because every tree counts.

How can I join 1t.org?

Planting 1 trillion trees won’t be easy, but each one of us can make a difference in this fight. We can plant trees in backyards and neighbourhoods or donate to one of the many responsible programs that have long been restoring and protecting forests and woodlands in almost every country around the world.

Sign up to 1t.org here.

None of us, acting alone, can plant a trillion trees or put an end to climate change but together, we can join our hearts and hands to make a positive impact for the good of the earth and future generations.

What are you waiting for?

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