Environment Online – ENO will celebrate 25th anniversary in 2025. Schools will launch a global C02 campaign to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Pupils around the world gathered 29 May – 5 June in Finland to agree the jointly organised climate actions based on tree planting. To celebrate quarter century of the ENO Programme, pupils from over 10 000 schools in 150 countries will agree the goals of reducing carbon dioxide as follows:
- With this movement, pupils raise up the fact that the mankind with its action has reduced forest area and their capacity to work as sink for carbon dioxide. Tree planting is needed to improve the carbon balance between carbon in the trees and atmosphere.
- Pupils raise the fact that tree planting is a significant way to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Planting forests does not need complicated technology or big money. What we need is earth, Sun, water and seed and a man who ensures the start of growth of trees. When working together we can plant a huge number of trees.
There are two ways to join the agreement
A) Tree Planting Schools (TPS)
- School will plant trees each year at least 0,5 hectars (5 000m2) between the years 20192025. Trees will be planted in the areas where forest hasn’t been cut in 10 years. This way a new forest (carbon sink) will be ensured.
- School will agree with private or public land owners the suitable land areas for these climate actions. They will also agree the delivery of the suitable reforestation material for free with suppliers of seeds and seedlings. Names of partners will be published in the international media
- School will agree with the partners about adopting trees and can use this support also partly to improve their school activities. Tree planting schools will also partner with Tree Adopting Schools (see below).
- Schools will report the annual growth of trees to ENO Programme. ENO will publish annual summaries based of the data.
B) Tree Adopting Schools (TAS)
There are schools which are not able to plant, but want take part. Their job would be to motivate the children, teachers, parents and the local community.
- Students earn “trees” with their work. The payment for their work or help would be “a tree”. (1 € = 1 tree) For instance helping the elderly, go shopping for them, clean the cars, collect paper, clean the garage, work in the garden
- At school, students together earn these “trees” every year enough for 0,5 hectars (average 800 trees)
- Tree adopting schools will find a partner from tree planting schools – or vice versa with the help of ENO. Schools connect directly. The adopting school sends money to the planting school and informs ENO at the same time. The planting school plants the trees and sends photos to the adopting school and ENO. This feedback is very important – not just for the kids but also for the adults. The overall goal is to transfer 3 million tons carbon dioxide from atmosphere by 2025 when ENO Programme celebrates 25th anniversary or latest by 2026, when Paris agreement will have 10th anniversary
