Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — A civil society organisation, Journalists for Sustainable Development Initiative, JSDI, has called for aggressive tree planting across the Niger Delta, warning that the impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly evident and require urgent collective action.
The group made the call as the world marked the 2026 World Environment Day, urging residents, communities and institutions to adopt tree planting as a practical response to rising temperatures, air pollution and changing weather patterns.
Executive Director of JSDI, Dr. Parry Saroh Benson, spoke on the sidelines of a symposium organised in partnership with the Federal University of Environment Technology, Ogoni, and the Centre for Climate Change and Forest Resources of Rivers State University in Saakpenwa, Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Benson said climate change was no longer a distant threat but a reality already affecting livelihoods and ecosystems across the region.
“Every man should learn to plant a tree. Planting trees is an exercise that should be done on a daily basis because we all are now experiencing the impact of climate change. It has come to stay,” he said.
According to him, unusual weather conditions being experienced in Rivers State and other parts of the Niger Delta underscore the growing effects of climate change.
“Everybody is complaining there is heat, there is so much sun. In fact, since January up until now, we do not know when it’s rainy season and when it’s dry season here in Rivers State like we used to experience. This is because of climate change,” Benson stated.
He appealed particularly to residents of Rivers State and the wider South-South region, where oil and gas activities have contributed to environmental degradation and air pollution, to embrace tree planting as a tool for environmental restoration.
“We are appealing to everyone here in the South-South; plant a tree every day because tree planting will enable us have clean air. Trees around bring about clean air,” he said.
The climate ambassador stressed that environmental protection should not be left to government alone, urging citizens to take greater interest in activities affecting their immediate surroundings.
“Our message is that we must plant trees, and everyone should be concerned about his environment. This is not the time to act like ‘I don’t care’, ‘I don’t know what is happening’. No. We all must know what is happening in our environment because climate change has come to stay,” he maintained.
The symposium formed part of activities marking the 2026 World Environment Day and focused on promoting climate awareness, environmental conservation and sustainable development practices across the Niger Delta.
