Former Executive-Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Mr Erik Solheim, has commended China’s environmental protection and tree planting campaign.
Erik gave the commendation during a virtual awareness campaign on tree planting to encourage environmental protection in Beijing, China.
He said a beautiful picture of ecological progress could unfold globally, saying China could play a unique role in forest conservation and prevention of deforestation.
In his words, “During tree-planting activity in Beijing on April 4, President Xi Jinping told students around him to encourage children to plant trees, when they become parents someday.
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“As a man who grew up in Beijing, he had memories of Chinese scholar trees, Ebenaceae, malus spectabilis, pomegranate trees and jujubes always seen in traditional courtyard houses in the Chinese capital.
“Afforestation has become a belief passed from generation to generation in China; it awakens people’s awareness for environmental protection and nurtures China’s green development philosophy.
“Through tree planting, China has optimized its environment, greened its mountains and kept people’s nostalgia, laying a solid foundation for achieving sustainable development, and inheriting Chinese civilisation.
“Tree planting is a tradition, an obligation and part of the daily life of Chinese people, it will create not only lucid waters and lush mountains, but invaluable assets, making China even more beautiful.”
Story was adapted from Enviro News
