One million trees pledged to create ‘Trump Forest’
One million trees have been pledged by people around the world to offset President Donald Trump’s anti-climate policies.
Over one million trees have been pledged by people around the world to offset President Donald Trump’s anti-climate policies.
The pledges are the result of a campaign created in March 2017 by three environmentalists “to motivate and inspire people to grow trees in the fight against climate ignorance promoted by President Donald Trump”.
The campaign to build a Trump Forest was born as a result of the US withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, and Trump’s proposal last year to repeal former President Obama’s Clean Power Plan.
The Plan was a key component of the administration’s fight against climate change and a way to accelerate America’s low-carbon economy.
The US is the world’s second largest emitter of carbon dioxide. It’s estimated that if all of Obama’s climate change policies were implemented they would prevent 650 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released into Earth’s atmosphere.
Trump’s own plan to downgrade and rewrite these regulations led to the idea of building a forest to offset his climate-damaging policies.
“We launched this forest because we were extremely frustrated at Trump’s blatant disregard for healthy life on earth and his inability to understand basic science,” co-founder Jeff Willis said.
“Less than a year on, we’re pleased to see people from more than 30 countries have joined our protest in planting trees to offset his ignorance — but we’re sad to say Trump’s record on climate change is as bad as ever.”
The scientists believe that to fully offset the additional carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would require an estimated 10 billion trees, and cover an area the size of the US state of Kentucky.
“Under Trump, the US has pushed itself further away from the international community’s collective efforts in finally taking meaningful action on the greatest health threat humanity faces,” said Dr Dan Price, a climate scientist.
“His attitude is dangerous and the time we are wasting will come at a cost. By delaying action, we are letting generations foot the bill tomorrow for the recklessness of people responsible today. We are gambling with the planetary life support system and that should make everybody nervous.”
Trees have been pledged by people from over 30 countries.
Photo: Gage Skidmore
