Stakeholders push for accelerated tree planting to combat climate change

As the global impacts of climate change continue to strain economies and ecosystems, environmental stakeholders in Kenya are stepping up afforestation campaigns to restore degraded landscapes and mitigate the deepening climate crisis.

In a tree-planting exercise held at the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital grounds, Kanisa Sacco, in collaboration with conservation partners, planted more than 600 fruit and indigenous trees as part of its ongoing commitment to sustainable environmental practices.

The initiative, organized under Kanisa Sacco’s annual climate conservation drive, brought together several partners, including Hearts of Green and the Wangari Maathai Institute, with a shared goal of encouraging Kenyans to take advantage of the current rains to plant more trees.

Speaking during the event, environmentalists underscored the urgent need for stronger community participation and global cooperation to confront the escalating effects of climate change — from erratic weather patterns and prolonged droughts to food insecurity and economic disruptions.

They noted that although Africa contributes minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, the continent remains disproportionately affected by climate-induced disasters such as famine, floods, and heatwaves.

“Sustained investment in environmental conservation is critical to building resilience and safeguarding livelihoods,” said one of the organizers, adding that tree planting remains one of the most practical and effective tools for reversing deforestation and restoring ecological balance.

Experts emphasized that trees play a vital role in enhancing air quality, promoting biodiversity, sequestering carbon, and preserving soil health — all of which are essential for long-term sustainability.

With the government’s ambitious goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2032, the stakeholders called for collective action across communities, institutions, and the private sector to help realize this vision.