World Tree Day: pupils in Haut-Katanga called upon to internalize climate-friendly gestures.

World Tree Day, celebrated on December 5 each year, is an opportunity to highlight the many benefits that trees bring to the ecosystem. These include CO2 absorption and the provision of clean air, which helps keep cities cooler.

In Lubumbashi, the capital of Haut-Katanga Province, the provincial commissioner in charge of the environment and development, Serge Mangoma, launched the 2022–2023 reforestation campaign on Monday, December 5. To this end, he invited students to care for and plant trees to preserve nature.

“To limit global warming, we must reduce our CO2 emissions. The challenge is significant because, despite the threat, our society struggles to change its consumption patterns. So, some are devising solutions based on capturing atmospheric CO2 by planting large numbers of trees, particularly those designed to absorb carbon dioxide. Therefore, we invite you to cultivate the practice of planting trees in schools, on our plots of land, and in many other spaces to contribute to the fight against global warming. That is why the chosen theme is: ‘Trees, a Factor of Solidarity and Resilience,’ said Serge Mangoma.

At the Gecamines Maadini School, where the ceremony took place, political and military authorities, the director of the Haut-Katanga educational province, the CEO of Gécamines, and the provincial directors of state-owned enterprises took turns performing the symbolic tree-planting.

After planting his tree, the director of the Haut-Katanga 1 educational province, Joseph Mwinkeu Tshiend, urged educators to instill in students the importance of tree planting and nature conservation.

According to studies, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to more than 60% of the forests in the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest “lung” in the fight against climate change.

“Forests and Sustainable Production and Consumption” was the international theme chosen for this day.

Dan de Dieu Kayanda