Today, the Evangelical Environmental Network is proud to announce our joining of the 1t.org US chapter. 1t.org US, or the Trillion Trees Platform, is a community of US-based companies, nonprofit organizations, and governments committed to reaching the global goal of creating healthy and resilient forests through conservation, restoration, and reforestation.
Forests are critical to the health of God’s creation and all God’s children. Trees sequester carbon, regulate global temperatures and freshwater flows, recharge groundwater, anchor fertile soil, act as flood barriers, and provide life-giving shade to safeguard against extreme heat. Deforestation and forest degradation are responsible for 15% of climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions. Healthy forests and urban trees are also critical to a thriving US economy, with more than half of our annual global GDP potentially threatened by the loss of and damage to natural areas.
In our work with 1t.org US, EEN pledges to educate and mobilize our evangelical community on the need to reforest our nation and the world. Through a series of educational tools, we will encourage local congregations, denominations, and evangelical ministries to join with other 1t.org US supporters to equitably increase tree cover in urban and underserved communities; to replant disease-infected forests in the Eastern United States and wildfire-impacted forests in the Western United states; and to protect and replant forests throughout the majority world through our partnerships with evangelical development ministries such as Plant With Purpose and World Hope.
EEN also pledges to advocate for policies that will promote sound conservation and sustainable utilization where appropriate within all Federal and State managed lands. Finally, we pledge to plant a minimum of 1,000 trees per year, as well as additional trees to completely offset our carbon footprint.
"We're thrilled to welcome the Evangelical Environmental Network to our growing community of NGOs, governments and companies that are committed to forest restoration and conservation for the benefit of our climate, health and ecosystems," said Kevin O'Hara, Lead, 1t.org US Chapter. "EEN's advocacy and on-the-ground implementation make them a compelling partner in our effort to conserve, restore and grow 1 trillion trees by 2030 for people, planet and biodiversity."
