Environmental advocacy group, ECSS launch tree planting campaign

JUBA – An environmental activist group known as “Greening South Sudan” has teamed up with the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS) and launched a campaign to plant 10 million trees in the next 10 years in South Sudan.

Greening South Sudan says the move aims at easing the effects of climate change in the country.

“We have launched Greening South Sudan campaign together with the church to show church’s commitment towards environmental conservations. Climatic change is real and South Sudan has been struck hard by climatic change,” Said Garang Maguet Garang, Executive Director of Greening South Sudan.

The tree planting campaign was launched in Sherikat, at the outskirt of the capital Juba.

Garang further said the project will create more opportunities to young people across the country.

“Our aim is to create jobs. We want to train youth in agriculture and we are using greening as a tool to create employment opportunities for youth,” he added.

The tree-planting campaign was graced by Bishop Paul Pitia Yugusuku, the Archbishop of Central Equatoria Internal Province at St. Peter’s Parish under the theme “Pray and Plant Trees for Climatic Justice and Food Security”.

“We have lost a lot of trees; we have been cutting trees every day and you can see charcoal coming all over from the outskirts of Juba. We have cut a lot of trees and this is harmful to the nature. We have to protect the nature God has created,” Archbishop Pitia said during the launch of tree-planting campaign.

Relentless rains in the past three years caused floods in the country which the United Nations says has displaced more than 800,000 people. The UN says the flooding is a result of climate change.