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Planting trees vital to combat negative environmental impacts: President

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has underscored the crucial importance of planting trees to combat the negative environmental impacts.

On a social media post, commemorating the World Ozone Day (WOD), President Dr. Muizzu stated that increasing greenery and planting trees are cost-effective and efficient solutions to combat environmental impacts. This year’s WOD theme is “Montreal Protocol: Advancing Climate Action.”

Aiming to reduce the negative impacts on the environment, President Dr. Muizzu and First Lady Sajida Mohamed inaugurated the Five Million Trees Planting Programme earlier in June, on the occasion of World Environment Day 2024. This is a significant presidential pledge to plant five million trees across the Maldives.

A key focus of the programme is the revival of endangered species, with 90 species listed as endangered in the Maldives. A total of 22 species of trees were planted in the park, including endangered trees, fruit trees, garden trees, shade trees, and medicinal plants, during the inauguration of the initiative.

Launching the Five Million Trees Planting Programme shows the administration’s commitment to protecting the nation’s fragile environmental ecosystems and combating climate change, thereby trying to minimise the present and future impacts for the benefit of future generations. This is by far the largest tree plantation project ever launched in the Maldives. The government urges all citizens to participate in the tree planting effort, and called on the neighbouring countries to donate trees to support the Maldives' ambitious five million tree planting programmes.