Tree planting for carbon balancing and sustainable future environment

Environmental issues have actually become an important aspect of the global human challenges facing every living thing (man, animal and plants) on planet earth. The observed environmental devastations that keep manifesting in all shades and manners are the consequences of the actions of man, with clear and outright violation of the laid down regulations instituted by relevant authorities and government agencies. The adverse climate change impact and the eventual losses suffered (human lives and properties), however, are the resultant effects of different kinds of extreme weather conditions manifesting, as being presently experienced with excruciating pains, in all nooks and crannies of the world. The said weather conditions that are mainly ecological include; heat waves, fire, droughts, tornadoes and torrential rains/heavy rains with fierce rainstorms (which recently triggered catastrophic, deadly floods in Southeast Europe and battered neighbouring Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria; with loss of lives and swept away cars).

The ESG Policy that strategically focuses on three key factors of environmental, social and governance issues through performance in their respective effective policy elements, targets compliance to sustainable low carbon emissions by businesses for economic and commercial activities within the global village. The strategic focus dwells much on checks and control measures that maintain stability in every aspect of human operations for overall environmental impact audits. It is on this note that energy production, utilisation or consumption is specifically considered as an aspect that determines man’s future existence on earth. Energy sources, utilisation and consumption from the history of man, date back to the stone age/dark ages, when early man generated energy by utilisation of biomass (burning of wood with fire ignited by sparks of stones), for cooking and heating his immediate environment for warmth against cold weather conditions. The striking aspect is the causes and effects of some sources of energy that emit heavy amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) that is better referred to as the greenhouse gas (GHG) into the atmosphere. The said source is none other than fossil fuel (majorly hydrocarbon natural resources), which includes coal, crude oil and natural gas. Over time, this emission through diverse human activities, accumulated beyond environmental permissible limits. The eventual impact devastated the environment, and the ecological status quo (natural habitat, both the terrestrial and aquatic environments) shifted from original climatic conditions that sustained normal life and the environment seamlessly, to strangely erratic and adverse weather conditions, which became unsustainable with mounting threats to man’s future existence on earth. This climate change that is characterised by global warming (abnormal rise in temperature) affected lives of man, animals and plants, both on air, land and water habitats.

The ongoing interventions initiated by the United Nations (UN) for climate action on the global warming mitigation and adaptation initiatives are being championed through multilaterally signed agreements at various global conventions. The energy transition plan for renewable energy sources, with compliance on energy efficiency, further measures on carbon emissions reduction (decarbonization of the carbon footprints) are equally being implemented for a net zero carbon emissions by 2050, for man’s sustainable existence on earth. The comity of nations is seriously committed to fighting further escalation of global warming above +1.5 degrees Celsius. Man’s actions through business activities are therefore urged to comply with the global best practices that relate to the ESG policy. This can be achieved by consistently and constantly drumming the message home to the hearing of every living soul that we are facing a precarious situation that requires urgency in fighting climate change to avert further climate deterioration and its looming global catastrophe.   

One solution that needs to be tabled at this juncture, to change the narrative from the hi-tech innovative measures, is simply, the tree planting initiative. This is a roadmap to a net zero future for African countries, as a low hanging fruit. By nature, trees play a significant role in CO2 absorption through the process of photosynthesis, while discharging oxygen (O2) into the atmosphere. It is also a known fact that between man’s energy activities and plant’s life sustainable existence, there is a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship that exists; which is a natural phenomenon that favours climate action measures. Among all the African nations where industries that are classified by their operations to be heavy carbon emitters, this unique concept and initiative for “carbon balancing” method and technique, will go a long way to mitigate the impact of global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions within Africa. This concept needs to be applied around every industrial zone where carbon balancing is of necessity. The tree that is selectively adopted for this tree planting project is “NEEM TREE” (known as Azadirachta indica A juss by its botanical name). Neem trees with lifespan of 150 to 200 years have a scientifically proven very high carbon absorptive capacity; therefore, should be accounted for in industrial locations planning and national biomass carbon inventory. It is a preferred carbon sink for heavy industrial emitters in the industrial landscape for climate change mitigation measures, and for carbon conservation, to support low carbon emissions strategy for industries, especially for African economies.