Ethiopia May Have Set a World Record By Planting 350 Million Trees in Just 12 Hours

Tree Planting World Record Ethiopia

Stock Photos from Mrs.Rungnapa akthaisong/Shutterstock

Forests cover about 30% of our planet's land mass, but ever since humans started cutting down trees, the “lungs of the world” have been disappearing at an alarming rate. Deforestation has had a devastating effect on the habitats of wildlife, weather patterns, and even climate change. Although human impact is to blame, people all over the world are now taking action, with a shared goal to restore their local forests and landscapes.

On July 29, 2019 in Ethiopia, humanitarians, students, government officials, and environmentalists gathered in over 1,000 sites across the country with a goal to plant 200 million sapling trees. In just 12 hours, officials claimed they had planted over 350 million trees, almost doubling their original goal. Although it’s not yet officially confirmed, Ethiopia’s astounding effort is believed to have broken the current world record of 50 million trees planted in one day, held by Uttar Pradesh, India.

Ethiopia’s commitment to saving our planet is commendable, but the country's efforts won’t stop there—the Green Legacy initiative, led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, aims to plant 4 billion trees by the end of 2019.

On July 29, 2019, the people of Ethiopia gathered across the country to plant 350 million sapling trees in just 12 hours.

Related Articles:

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India Aims to Break World Record by Planting 50 Million Trees in 24 Hours

Philippines Passes Law Requiring Students to Plant 10 Trees Before Graduating

Emma Taggart

Emma Taggart is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. Originally from Northern Ireland, she is an artist now based in Berlin. After graduating with a BA in Fashion and Textile Design in 2013, Emma decided to combine her love of art with her passion for writing. Emma has contributed to various art and culture publications, with an aim to promote and share the work of inspiring modern creatives. While she writes every day, she’s also devoted to her own creative outlet—Emma hand-draws illustrations and is currently learning 2D animation.
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