Over the past three years, more than one million new trees have been planted throughout Vietnam with carefully selected species suitable for each area under the “Song khoe gop xanh” (Live Healthy, Contribute Green) programme.
Planting forests at the coastal area in Lai Hoa Commune, Soc Trang Province.
Contributing to forest planting
Nguyen Viet Dung, Director of the Media Centre for Natural Resources and Environment under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, stated that global climate change, extreme weather phenomena, storms, floods, landslides, drought, and salinisation have caused severe consequences to people's lives and property. This reality demands more resolute protection and development of forests, which is both an urgent task and a long-term strategic mission.
In response to the national strategy on climate change until 2050 and implementing the Vietnamese government's commitment at the COP26 Summit, the centre has recently made efforts and taken action to accompany organisations and individuals in implementing numerous forest planting programmes across the country to mitigate some natural disaster effects, balance ecosystems and improve the climate.
Launched in 2022, the “Song khoe gop xanh” programme was implemented by Panasonic to support the government's project to plant one billion trees from 2021-2025. The programme has realised the idea that every individual can contribute to building a "green fund", nurturing large forests, and serving as an exemplary model of corporate social responsibility. This activity not only helps mitigate the impact of climate change and balance ecosystems but also awakens environmental awareness within the community.
According to the commitment to implement tree planting activities to restore ecosystems and upstream forests, government agencies and Panasonic have successfully collaborated to plant over one million new trees in many provinces and cities nationwide.
Regarding planting locations, the organisers prioritise planting upstream protection forests and coastal protection forests. For special-use forest land, the focus is on national parks, nature reserves, species-habitat conservation areas, and landscape protection areas.
The selected tree species are all familiar names from Vietnamese mountains and forests, such as cinnamon, canarium, magnolia, chukrasia, melaleuca, sonneratia, and rhizophora, to optimise carbon dioxide absorption. After planting, the parties also cooperated to create digital maps for management. These maps will be zoned, coded, and updated annually with images showing the growth condition of each tree, ensuring that one million green trees survive and develop well.
Towards a green future
According to calculations, one million newly planted trees not only contribute to improving landscapes, preventing erosion, and protecting groundwater sources but also can absorb 108,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next ten years, helping to reduce the impact of climate change. This is a significant step on the journey towards the net zero goal, helping to create a greener and healthier future for generations to come.
Having successfully planted over one million trees in various provinces and cities of Vietnam, Panasonic has become the first foreign-invested enterprise recognised by the Vietnam Records Organisation for setting the record as the organisation that launched and successfully planted one million trees in the shortest time.
A representative from Panasonic Vietnam said that since 2022, the “Song khoe gop xanh” programme has been implemented by Panasonic to achieve its Panasonic Green Impact initiative. Accordingly, for each air conditioner, refrigerator, washing machine, and product from their health care solution range sold, Panasonic will plant one tree to develop forests for a green, healthy Vietnam. Panasonic's record establishment is not only a significant milestone but also a motivation for the company to continue pursuing green initiatives, joining hands for a sustainably developing Vietnam.
Under the Prime Minister’s Decision 524, Vietnam aims to plant one billion green trees during the 2021-2025 period, including 690 million trees in urban and rural areas, and 310 million trees in protection forests, special-use forests and new production forests.
Ly Linh
