ENTEBBE: Ismaili CIVIC Community plants trees in campaign to curb carbon emissions

ENTEBBE, UGANDA: The Ismaili CIVIC Muslim community has asked Ugandans to venture into commercial tree growing so as to tap into the carbon market, which is now estimated to be standing around $3 trillion.

The community over the weekend planted hundreds of trees in Entebbe Mayor’s gardens as it launched the campaign aiming to curb carbon emissions and climate change effects that have caused a global outcry in recent years.

Speaking at the Global Ismaili Civic Day celebrations at Entebbe Mayor’s Gardens yesterday, Mr Azim Tharam, the president of Aga Khan National Council Uganda, said during the annual climate change negotiations, the Shia Ismaili Muslim Community is invited to provide world leaders with information and statistics of what is happening to the environment but the leaders always give lip service.

“Time is now to take action and not lip service and that is where our community will be involved. I was told of the carbon consumption industry. That we shall not be able to stop emission of carbon but we need to do things that will be able to absorb carbon and tree planting is one of them,” Mr Azim said.

Mr Tharam explained that whereas it will take a while for trees to consume carbon, Africa and Uganda have the opportunity to provide land banks to consume carbon.

Mr Azhar Jaffer the Chairman Ismaili CIVIC Community in Uganda said tree planting activities are part of celebrations to mark their second annual Global Ismaili CIVIC Day which started on Sunday, 25th September, 2022.

”These activities we are doing like this one here in Entebbe, are made up of local partnerships connected to global efforts to strengthen communities through environmental stewardship. We’re coming together to protect the earth on Global Ismaili CIVIC Day, thousands of volunteers across the globe pledge to offer thousands of hours of voluntary service to strengthen their communities,” said Mr Azhar.

Ms Jasmin Lalani, the officer-in-charge of Ismaili Civic Uganda explained that the Global Ismaili Civic Day is an annual signature event in which the Shia Ismaili Muslim community across the world has united around its centuries-old tradition of serving humanity by rendering voluntary service to improve the quality of life of the communities in which they live, regardless of faith, gender and background.

“We are emphasising the need to take care of the environment, why trees are important and the effects of human population on the environment. We are educating students as well as involving them in the activities,” she said.

According to Ms Lalani, they are also now venturing to schools outside Kampala and Entebbe to teach students and pupils the value of protecting the environment and also engaging them in different tree planting projects.

Mr Fabrice Rulinda, the mayor of Entebbe Municipality, said they have lately started engaging different airlines and pilots to make contributions towards environmental programmes in the area and that they are developing a road map to implement some of the programmes to ensure sustainability of their businesses and the environment.

”As Entebbe City leaders we highly appreciate the Ismaili CIVIC community for this good cause. I was very happy with the way they involve their young ones. I think this is a good initiative and we call on other stakeholders to start these kind of activities. It’s the only way we can deal with climate change,” said Mayor Rulinda adding that they have a plan of planting over one million trees along streets in Entebbe within 5years.

Sunday’s event saw the members of the Ismaili community plant ornamental trees to beautify the mayor’s gardens.