The Zambia Army and Standard Chartered Bank have partnered to fight deforestation and to protect the environment through planting trees.
Zambia Army and the bank today planted 100 fruit trees near the Zambia Army Chapel in Lusaka’s Arakan Barracks.
Zambia Army Commander, Sitali Alibuzwi, said climate change has caused serious environmental degradation which has in turn impacted negatively on efforts toward sustainable economic development.
Lieutenant General Alibuzwi said efforts to improve afforestation should therefore be promoted among all Zambians.
He said Zambia Army desires that the tree planting initiative is extended to all its military cantonments so that the men and women in uniform are made aware of the need to preserve the environment.
And Standard Chartered Bank Chief Executive Officer, Sonny Zulu, observed that deforestation is one of the major climate change challenges which Zambia is facing today.
Mr. Zulu said tree planting should be an ongoing process which is aimed at replacing those that are being cut every day.
He has since called on all Zambians to play a role in securing the future of the planet for the generations to come.
He said the bank was happy to partner with the Zambia Army in the important and noble exercise of planting trees.
Mr. Zulu disclosed that Standard Chartered Bank has targeted to plant at least 3,500 trees in 2022 alone.
Meanwhile, Standard Chartered Associate Director for Brand and Marketing, Kwale Luputa, said the bank is encouraging its employees to plant at least one tree every year.
Mr. Luputa said the bank spent K15, 000 in the tree planting exercise adding that it is ongoing.
According to the Global Forest Watch, Zambia lost 163,000 hactares of tree cover in 2020, which is equivalent to 59.7 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
