Ethiopia is gaining ground in its fight against climate change through a bold national effort to restore its ecosystems and secure food systems. At the heart of this drive is the Green Legacy Initiative (GLI), a homegrown reforestation campaign launched in 2019 to tackle environmental degradation, boost food security, and respond to mounting climate shocks across the country and region.
Now central to Ethiopia’s development and climate adaptation strategy, the GLI has entered its latest phase with an ambitious plan to plant 7.5 billion seedlings during the June–September rainy season pushing the cumulative total beyond 47.5 billion trees.
To ensure long-term sustainability, Ethiopia took a landmark step in December 2024 by passing legislation that formally institutionalizes the initiative. The new law, backed unanimously by parliament, created the Green Legacy Initiative and Degraded Land Rehabilitation Special Fund. The fund mandates that 0.5 to 1 percent of the federal budget be allocated annually toward landscape restoration efforts, with regional governments contributing based on their capacity.
This institutional backing is helping Ethiopia lead by example in climate resilience, setting a regional and global benchmark for funding and sustaining large-scale ecological restoration programs.
A recent assessment by the Ministry of Agriculture reveals that the GLI has sharply reduced soil erosion—previously a major threat to productivity. The country, once losing an estimated 1.9 billion tonnes of fertile soil annually, has seen that number fall to 208 million tonnes, preserving farmland and preventing dam siltation.
Beyond the environment, the GLI is credited with improving food security through the planting of high-value fruit trees that contribute to household nutrition, income, and community resilience. The United Nations has praised the initiative’s alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), as well as its contribution to global frameworks like the Paris Agreement, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
The GLI is also sparking regional inspiration. Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima, who participated in this year’s planting ceremony in Addis Ababa, called it “an inclusive, impactful, and visionary model,” and urged African nations to emulate Ethiopia’s example.
Policymakers and environmental experts say the Green Legacy Initiative proves that nationally led, large-scale climate action is not only feasible but also crucial to building a more resilient future for Ethiopia, the Horn of Africa, and the wider continent.
