The People, Planet and Peace Foundation, a Nigerian non-governmental organisation (NGO), says it will collaborate with the Rotary Club Lomé Zenith to plant trees and mitigate the impact of climate change in Togo.
Mr. Olatunji Francisco, Lead of the Climate Beyond Borders Caravan (CBBC), an initiative of the Foundation, made this known on Tuesday during the opening ceremony of a three-day CBBC event in Lomé.
Francisco said the two organisations had resolved to embark on a tree-planting project to prevent soil erosion, support biodiversity, and provide communities with sustainable resources, timber, and long-term economic stability.
He noted that Togo is highly vulnerable to climate change, with rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and severe coastal erosion.
“These hazards severely threaten agricultural productivity, water security and public health, causing millions of dollars in socio-economic losses and threatening the livelihoods of poor rural populations,” he said.
“The coastline between Kossi and Aneho is severely threatened by rising sea levels. In certain areas, the sea claims several metres of land yearly, displacing communities and destroying local infrastructure.
“Climate change has created a dual water crisis. Prolonged droughts dry up essential water sources, while recurring floods contaminate drinking water supplies in rural areas and urban centres such as Grand Lomé.”
Also speaking, the CBBC Secretary in Nigeria, Miss Olabisi Kumuyi, said tree planting offered far-reaching environmental, social and economic benefits.
“Trees absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, and store it in their trunks and roots, thereby mitigating the effects of global warming.
“They also filter toxic pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and ozone, trapping particulate matter, including dust and smoke, in their leaves while releasing oxygen.
“The roots of trees stabilise the soil, significantly reducing runoff and preventing erosion, especially in vulnerable hillsides and riverbanks,” she said.
In his remarks, the CBBC Logistics Adviser, Mr. Ahmed Nureni, said trees regulate the water cycle by absorbing excess rainwater, thereby reducing surface runoff and helping to prevent devastating floods.
He added that the forestry and plantation industries create millions of jobs worldwide, boosting livelihoods, particularly in rural and agricultural communities.
Nureni said the three-day activities would include tree planting, climate advocacy in rural communities, and visits to Kouma-Konda, Kpime Waterfall and Centre Artisanal.
Ashenews reports that CBBC is a pan-African, youth-led initiative designed to champion climate justice, cross-border cooperation, and green economic transformation across the continent.
