By Anna Lexxy Mbucho
Global warming has become a real threat that is not mitigated will lead to the extinction of various species, plants and even indigenous groups. This is the time that leaders, governments, society and even individuals need to come together for the good of the planet. We only have one earth to live on, it is therefore our responsibility to make sure that we keep it existing and flourishing.
Global warming and climate change are impacted by deforestation. Trees are getting harder to find since they are being chopped down for furniture, building homes, and even just to create room for more people. More than 2 billion more people are predicted to join the global population. It will occur in the ensuing thirty years. By 2050, there will be 9.7 billion, up from the current 8 billion. By 2080, it is expected to reach roughly 10.4 billion. “The world’s population has more than tripled since the middle of the twentieth century.” United Nations
Given these figures, it is crucial that we protect the environment, which can be done by planting new trees, which will guarantee the survival of all kinds of species. By absorbing and releasing pollutants like carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide, trees function as natural air filters. Reforestation helps minimize respiratory disorders by increasing air quality since it lowers the incidence of respiratory ailments like bronchitis, asthma, and other chronic respiratory diseases. Additionally, as air pollution frequently makes cardiovascular disorders worse, improved air quality lowers the risk of these conditions.
Reforestation is essential to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3, which is about ensuring healthy lifestyles and fostering well-being for all people at all ages. Reforestation affects population health and well-being significantly, even though it is usually associated with environmental benefits. Reforestation bringa back biodiversity and harmony in the lives of humans.
In addition to being essential for maintaining the sustainability of the ecosystem, reforestation also improves public health and wellbeing. Reforestation directly promotes the attainment of SDG 3 through enhancing the quality of the air and water, promoting mental health, protecting medicinal resources, regulating the climate, and enhancing food security. Thus, funding reforestation initiatives can have a major positive impact on health and contribute to a more sustainable and healthy future for all.
A crucial tactic in combating climate change is reforestation, which significantly advances Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: Climate Action. The urgency of addressing climate change and its effects through mitigation, adaptation, and resilience-building measures is emphasized by this aim.
Reforestation contributes to reducing the likelihood of natural disasters, which are frequently made worse by climate change. Large volumes of rainfall are absorbed by forests, which lowers runoff and lowers the chance of flooding. In hilly or mountainous regions, tree roots support the soil and lessen the chance of landslides. Mangrove restoration can operate as a natural barrier to shield coastal communities from erosion and storm surges.
In the battle against climate change, reforestation is a potent weapon that directly advances the Sustainable Development Goals. Efforts to reforest support adaptation and mitigation techniques. Enhancing biodiversity, regulating climate, lowering disaster risks, encouraging sustainable land use, aiding in community adaptation, and improving water security are all benefits of reforestation. Making investments in reforestation is crucial to building resilient communities and ecosystems that can endure and prosper in the face of a changing climate.