Costa Rica Plants 5 Million Trees to Combat Climate Change
by Eliza Barclay, Nomad on 12.10.07
We've covered Cuba and Mexico's ambitious tree planting efforts here and here, and now we're happy to see that Costa Rica has joined in.
Just days ago, Costa Rican President Oscar Arias planted the 5 millionth tree of the year near his office in the capital San Jose. Costa Rica is aiming to reduce its net carbon emissions to zero, and has set a target date of 2021.
"I don't know if we will end up being carbon neutral in 2021 as we have proposed, but the important thing is the audacity of the goal and the work we have to do," Arias said.
The effort is spurred in part by the perilous signs of global warming that have already appeared in the Central American nation. Costa Rican scientists have blamed the loss of more than a dozen amphibian species, including the shiny yellow "golden toad", on higher temperatures caused by global warming.
By the end of 2007, Costa Rica will have planted nearly 6.5 million trees, which should absorb 111,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, Environment Minister Roberto Dobles said. The country aims to plant 7 million trees in 2008 as part of the newly launched program. :: Via Planet Ark
Wow, that's a little better than the 14 trees I got planted in my development. But then I guess they have gov't funding. Good for them, and us. I hope the US gov't can (in '09 maybe) commit to such a grand plan.
Bravo! I hope they inspire other countries to do likewise.