Climate change: Seplat launches ‘Tree4Life’ initiative to tackle deforestation

Seplat Energy has launched the “Tree4Life” programme as part of its commitment to address the effects of climate change.

Nigeria has since committed to net zero carbon emission by 2060 and climate change actions by 2030.

Speaking on Tuesday at the launch of the initiative in Abuja, Ambrosie Orjiako, outgoing board chairman of Seplat, said reforestation would reduce the carbon dioxide in air, prevent erosion and contribute to food security.

Orjiako said trees must be planted everywhere to check the spate of deforestation.

“There is complete deforestation that is happening with the provision of energy in our environment. The more deforestation, not only are we encouraging climate change infestation, you are emitting more carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere,” he said.

“We want to emphasise that the tree planting exercise is to check deforestation and encourage reforestation. Everywhere you are, you must plant trees.

“In Seplat, we made a deliberate decision that ESG (environmental, social, and governance) is a major component in doing business.

“It is not only by carbon dioxide emission that the environment is degraded, if you plant trees you are saving the environment from erosion. When you provide food security, it is critical in an environment. So, if you plant trees that produce food, you are contributing to food security as well.”

On his part, Timipre Sylva, minister of state for petroleum resources, said Nigeria should focus on gas for clean energy.

“The PIA will enable a lot of gas projects but it behoves on operators in the industry to also take advantage of the opportunity provided by the PIA to deepen the gas business in Nigeria,” he said.

“And to achieve that, we have declared the year 2021 to the year 2030 as the decade of gas and we are not just declaring it, we are actually creating a roadmap to achieving the decade of gas.”

Also speaking, Roger Thompson, managing director of Seplat, said Nigeria has shown commitment to cutting carbon emission.

The managing director added that Seplat intends to plant one million trees every year for five years.