Pure Green Foundation Demonstrates a Doable and Sustainable Nature-Based Solution and Urges Leading Businesses to Join Reforestation Efforts

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan, April 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The majority of the countries are committing to a variety of climate actions and making progress to meet their Nationally Determined Contributions targets. And more and more private companies have put forth efforts to reach net zero goals. In recent years, we have also witnessed active involvements and transition in renewable energy, electronic vehicles, energy efficiency improvement… and more to reduce green house gas (GHG) emissions. However, improved human activities and decisions still generate carbon. To be more exact, we still create 51 billion tons of CO2e to the atmosphere every year. Without solving the climbing emissions, all actions, commitments, and/or actions, no matter how ambitious they are, will all be in vain.

There are carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. But until today, nature-based solutions, like tree planting, are still the most effective and economic way in sequestering and storing the GHG in the atmosphere.

The majority of carbon credit projects relating to tree planting are "forest management" and "avoid conversion." Both are easy, for landowners and stakeholders, but not necessarily easy and better for overall living beings. "Reforestation" is tough for any foresters to work on and tough for scientists to quantify the value, especially in terms of carbon and invisible environment benefits. As a result, systematic reforestation projects are very rare.

"Reforestation really fixes many tangible and intangible problems and should be encouraged," said Dr. Wender Yang, founder, Hima Foundation.  

"Human beings have been seeing things through the economic lens. And it leads us to the climate crisis. Today, human beings still wish to solve the crisis through the economic lens. It just doesn't make sense," said Venerable Jue-Pei, Secretary General of Buddha's Light International Association (BLIA). "We fully support T-Earth. The initiative listens to foresters, front line leaders, insects, birds, plants and animals. We believe nature is our solution, no matter how we've failed her," the venerable added.

In cooperation with Fo Guang Shan, one of the world's most influential Buddhist organizations; BLIA, one of the world's top five international service organizations; the World Climate Foundation Asia; and the HIMA Foundation, which is widely known for its New Loulan Project that is revitalizing an oasis in China's Taklimakan Desert; the Pure Green Foundation continues its reforestation efforts on Earth Day with 3 major events:

1. T-Earth Reforestation Action: led by the Head Abbot of Fo Guang Shan, Venerable Hsin Bao, there will be a total of 36,000 diversified native trees planted in 2 climate zones in Taiwan by this June.
2. International Climate Forum: held on 4/22 in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, the forum focused on nature-based solutions. Speakers include Jens Nielsen, chairman, World Climate Foundation; Sophia Cheng, CIO, Cathay Financial Holdings; Stanley Tam, Global Spokesperson, Global Intelligent Manufacturing and Emerging Industry Institute; and Arthur Liu, research fellow, Chun-Hua Institute for Economic Research.
3. Youth Camp to COP27: the 6-month long training and competition has invited hundreds of teams from all major universities in Taiwan. Final winners will fly to COP27 for in-depth participation.   

T-Earth plans to manage 7 different demo locations in Taiwan suitable for tropical and subtropical climate zones. The second stage will be launched in other continents for example Malaysia, India, Australia and more. The initiative aims at achieving 11 of 17 United Nations Sustainability Goals including healthy ecosystems, climate change mitigation and adaptation, bio diversity protection, gender equality, empowerment, improved economic opportunities… and more.

"The initiative fulfills SDGs commitments for and with the partners: big emitters are able to offset carbon; public companies can reach their sustainable goals, add values to the CDP assessment, etc.; SMEs gain better brand image, and fulfill their compliance targets by working together," added George Hu, Regional Representative of World Climate Foundation.

T-Earth has an ambitious goal: to mobilize 1000 companies to plant 1000 trees in 1000 cities by 2050.

Contact:
George Hu
0919563599
[email protected]

SOURCE Pure Green Foundation