Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone, is on a mission to plant a million trees over the next two years, increasing vegetation in her city by fifty percent while shoring up eroding riverbanks and increasing biodiversity. "This isn't just about planting trees; it's about growing trees, and it's about ensuring that each one of us is part of the process," she says. "A million trees is our city's small contribution to increasing the much-needed global carbon sink."

Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr: The city planting a million trees in two years

The city planting a million trees in two years

Sierra Leone's deforestation led to a devastating landslide, killing 1,000 in minutes; a stark reminder of climate impacts.

Aiming to reforest Freetown, the mayor plans to plant a million trees, enhancing urban greenery and reducing landslide risks.

Freetown’s tree planting initiative is more than beautification; it's a community effort to combat climate change and protect lives.