Sahara Group, one of the world’s leading energy conglomerates, has announced plans to plant 2,000 trees across Africa every year to absorb 450 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.
The company said this will be done over the next 10 years in partnership with Treedom.
Treedom, a social organization, aims to support sustainable development through tree planting. Since its establishment in 2010, more than 3 million trees have been planted across Africa, South-East Asia, and South America.
The partners said that the collection of trees called ‘Asharami Groves’ will be planted in the Sahara Group’s locations of operation across Africa, with 900 trees in Cameroon and 1,100 in Kenya.
“Sahara Group is committed to taking ambitious actions to address climate change, and our collaboration with Treedom is a significant step towards achieving our sustainability goals,” Ejiro Gray, director of Governance and Sustainability, said.
“We believe that planting trees is one of the most effective ways to mitigate the impacts of climate change, and we are proud to partner with an organization that shares our vision of a sustainable future.”
Earlier, the Group announced its 2060 net zero plan, which is aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. “This is in commitment to advancing energy efficiency, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and utilizing renewable energy sources to drive sustainability.”
Gray said Sahara Group remained committed to environmental sustainability and would continue to champion efforts geared towards preserving the environment and creating a better future for all.
Mario Pacifico, managing director of Treedom, discussed the importance of this collaboration and expressed his enthusiasm for Treedom’s alliance with Sahara and the potential outcomes.
“Treedom is happy to be partnering with Sahara to plant a minimum of 10,000 trees over the next 5 years. We see the energy industry as an area that must actively contribute to positive climate impact, which Sahara will be doing through our agroforestry projects in Cameroon and Kenya.
“Additionally, our farmer partners will be directly benefiting socially and economically at the same time through these projects” Pacifio added.
The partnership between Sahara Group and Treedom builds on previous tree-planting projects, like the planting of 1000 trees on a 2-kilometer range of vegetation at Egbin Power Plc, a Sahara Group Power generating company, planting 1000 trees, and helping to maintain the ecosystem balance.
Egbin reduces 670,000 kg of CO2 emissions annually with its “Go-Green” efforts, which include roughly 140 electric scooters and buggies.
To further sustainability, Ikeja Electric, a power distribution firm affiliated with the Sahara Group, began the transition from paper-based to electronic bills.
An app called a journey manager is used by First Independent Power Limited (FIPL), another company in the Sahara Group, to digitally track movements that necessitate the use of company vehicles.
“This reduces the number of unnecessary vehicles on the road and encourages more environmentally friendly and efficient modes of transportation.”
