Libya’s state National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced yesterday that it is preparing to launch Phase Three of its One million Tree-planting Initiative.
It said this phase will involve afforestation at oil sites and municipalities adjacent to oilfields to reduce carbon emissions. It will have the objectives of enhancing vegetation cover in industrial areas, improving air quality, reducing carbon dioxide and supporting local biodiversity.
The initiative, the NOC added, is implemented in cooperation with local and international partners and the active participation from oil sector workers.
The NOC said ‘‘thousands’’ of trees were planted in the previous two phases and that the initiative comes as part of its sustainability strategy and commitment to plant one million trees by 2026.
Phase One launched in 2024
It will be recalled that the NOC had launched the first phase in February 2024. The NOC said the campaign comes within its “Thinking About Tomorrow” initiative to reduce carbon emissions launched by its then Chairman, Farhat Bengdara, in December 2023 at the World Climate Summit (COP28).
The campaign aims to plant one million trees in 40 sites distributed throughout all regions of Libya.
It targets several locations by planting types of forest seedlings that are appropriate for their nature, to serve and achieve multiple environmental purposes, increase green spaces in areas where there are few forest seedlings, and enhance agriculture to adapt to the risks of climate change and withstand drought and the factors of desertification witnessed by the global climate crisis.
The NOC had reported that the launch of this campaign witnessed great cooperation from several parties, such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and its affiliated bodies, civil society organizations, school students, local councils in municipalities, scout and guide regiments, and security personnel in the two regions.
100-million tree planting initiative adopted by PM as one of its ‘‘Strategic Projects’’
It will also be recalled that in December 2024 Tripoli based Libyan Prime Minister, Abdel Hamid Aldabaiba, approved the ‘‘Green Libya Initiative’’ to plant 100 million trees in various Libyan regions, under the supervision of the Executive Team for the PM’s Initiatives and Strategic Projects, and in partnership with local institutions and foreign oil companies.
The initiative is supported by the following foreign oil companies operating in Libya: Equinor, Halliburton Wintershall, Tatneft, Oilinvest, Tamoil, Gazprom, OMV, ENI, Repsol, BP and Suncor.
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