PNG plans to plant 10mil trees

THE country will start planting trees this year and aims to plant 10 million over a 10-year period, Environment and Conservation Minister Wera Mori says.
Mori on Friday said the country had an obligation to contribute towards the reduction of greenhouse gases.
He said the tree planting programme would be piloted in Eastern Highlands and Chimbu.
Mori also announced former Kumul captain Bal Numapo as the ambassador of the programme.
“The effect of greenhouse gases and global warming is a reality,” he said.
“Papua New Guinea as a sovereign state cannot isolate itself from the eminent threats of the effect of global warming.
“Being a member of the international community, PNG has an obligation to contribute towards the reduction of greenhouse gases.
“In this view, we advocate to plant a total of 10 million trees over the next 10 years. We will pilot the programme in the Eastern Highlands and Chimbu for the first million trees.
“PNG must know that although we (the island of New Guinea) may own the third largest rainforest in the world, our forests are being depleted without proper reforestation programmes.
“This is a grave concern because our forest inhales carbon dioxide (CO2) and exhales oxygen (O2).”
“Carbon dioxide persists in the atmosphere between 1,000 to 10,000 years and comprises 72 per cent of all greenhouse gases.
“It is also alarming that methane constitutes 10 per cent of the greenhouse gases and readily converts to carbon dioxide within 70 years.
“Unless considered efforts are made to reduce carbon dioxide, it is inevitable that global temperatures will rise by two degrees Celsius in the next 10 years which will have catastrophic consequences and a direct threat to our nation.”