Pretoria: In a significant move to address the escalating effects of climate change, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has introduced the One Million Trees campaign. This initiative aims to mitigate the impact of climate change by promoting tree planting across the nation.
According to South African Government News Agency, Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Bernice Swarts, emphasized the urgency of the campaign amid the increasing frequency of environmental calamities such as fires, heatwaves, and floods. The National Greening Programme, which the department is spearheading, aims to coordinate and implement measures to mitigate these environmental threats.
During a speech at the Pretoria National Botanical Garden, Swarts highlighted President Cyril Ramaphosa’s directive to plant 10 million trees, with a 60:40 ratio of fruit to indigenous trees, over five years, concluding in 2026. This effort is connected to goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals and calls for nationwide participation.
Swarts also proposed a challenge to plant one million trees on a single day, 24 September 2025, coinciding with Heritage Day and Arbour Month celebrations. She urged collaboration across various sectors, including government departments, civil society, corporates, and the general public, to achieve this ambitious goal.
The Deputy Minister noted the overwhelming support from various stakeholders and emphasized the need for immediate action to address the environmental challenges facing South Africa and the African continent. She highlighted the significance of the G20 Presidency’s focus on land degradation and drought, reinforcing the importance of tree planting in combating these issues.