United Nations Environment Programme Environment for Development

United Nations Environment Programme

Environment for Development

United Nations Environment Programme Plant for the Planet: The Billion Tree Campaign

Commit to action!

Join the Billion Tree Campaign


Pledged trees: 303,641,385

(as of 16 February 2007)

The Billion Tree Campaign was launched on8 November 2006 during the Climate Change

Conference, but effectively began on 1 January 2007 for an initial period of one year


Governments

Cameroon – 45 million trees

Myanmar – 20 million trees

Venezuela – 20 million trees

Haiti – 1 million trees

Civil society

Private sector

National Council of Women in Kenya – 2 million trees

Care for the Environment Uganda – 200,000 trees

WWF/Adena – 50,000 trees

Anadolu Kartallari Spor Kalubu – 1,000 trees

Recent pledges

Fundación Santiago Rey Fernández-Latorre – 9,000 trees

Biocalidad S.L. – 2,500 trees

Tambopaxi – 1,500 trees

Acorn Training and Consulting – 1,000 trees


“The symbolism – and the substantive significance – of planting a tree has universal power in every culture and every society on Earth, and it is a way for individual men, women and children to participate in creating solutions for the environmental crisis” .

Al Gore, Earth in the Balance


Trees absorb pollution

Trees protect water catchments

Trees reduce soil erosion

Trees produce life-giving oxygen

Trees mitigate climate change

Trees help to cool cities

Trees are culturally important

Trees provide habitat for wildlife

Trees are a legacy for future generations


The Campaign aims to:

• Build on existing programmes

• Foster partnerships


Target groups:

IndividualsChildren and youthSchoolsCivil society and NGOsFarmers Community groupsPrivate sectorLocal and national governments


Each pledge can be anything from a single tree to 10 million trees or more

3-stage process: PLEDGE, PLANT, CONFIRM

Participants receive a certificate


The campaign encourages the planting of indigenous trees that are appropriate to the local environment

Advice on tree planting is available via the website


When we are planting trees sometimes people will say to me, "I don't want to plant this tree, because it will not grow fast enough". I have to keep reminding them that the trees they are cutting today were not planted by them, but by those who came before. So they must plant the trees that will benefit communities in the future. I remind them that like a seedling, with sun, good soil, and abundant rain, the roots of our future will bury themselves in the ground and a canopy of hope will reach into the sky.”

Wangari Maathai Unbowed: One Woman’s Story

Patron: Wangari Maathai


“I believe in the symbolic strength of the Plant for the Planet Billion Tree Campaign and I sincerely hope it will meet our expectations, far beyond the welfare linked to replanting trees, to benefit future generations.”

Co-patron: His Serene Highness Albert II Sovereign Prince of Monaco


The anchor of the Campaign is the website www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign


Other information materials include:

Information kits

Press releases

Photo resources

Statements

Short animation

Downloadable logos


Partnership possibilities for the private sector

Launch of tree planting campaign throughout corporate network (UNEP will grant use of own logo and campaign logo)

International advertising roll-out for the campaign in partnership with UNEP

Introduction of Billion Tree Campaign “teaser” on corporate products

Placement of corporate press releases and announcements related to the Campaign on the UNEP website


The race is on

The challenge:to PLANT, CARE for and RAISE

1 billion trees

in 2007


The Billion Tree Campaign

We need YOUR involvement

Documents

United Nations Environment Programme Environment for Development