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Indonesia President Calls for Tree Planting to Fight Climate Change

Published on 24 February 2014 Indonesia

PARE-PARE (South Sulawesi) Feb 20 (Bernama) -- President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has urged the public to plant trees to help curb the impact of climate change, Indonesian news agency ANTARA reported.

"Why should we be diligent in planting trees? We should in order to prevent landslides and floods, provide oxygen and curb the effects of global warming," he said at a tree planting event here on Thursday.

"Tree planting and preservation activities can help ensure food provision and ground water reserves," he told students gathered at the event.

As part of the government's commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent by 2020, Indonesia has pledged to plant billions of trees across the country.

From 2010 to 2013, the country planted at least one billion trees under a tree-planting programme.

The number has continued to increase and is expected to touch two billion in 2014, Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan said recently.

Zulkifli said Indonesia had been consistent in implementing sustainable development by preserving its forests for future generations.

While observing Tree Planting Day and National Tree Planting Month in West Java on Dec 8, 2009, Susilo made a call for four billion trees to be planted by 2020 and 9.2 billion by 2050.

Source: Bernama | 20 February 2014