Erbil, KRI (July 6,2021) – Rwanga Foundation signed an agreement with Hasar Organization for the One Million Oak project in the Kurdistan region to help combat climate change and carbon capture.

The project is the first attempt by the Kurdistan region of Iraq designed to be implemented as a response to climate action, since climate change is happening due to exceeding carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that came from burning fossil fuels. The consequence of climate change is changing the usual weather pattern, like the annual rainfall in a specific location, or a change in a place’s usual temperature for a month or season. Reducing carbon emission and carbon capture are considered the main climate action. One of the most acceptable methods for fighting climate change is carbon capture by planting enormous trees such as Oak trees.

Rwanga Foundation in partnership with Hasar organization will implement the project which aims at planting 200,000 Oak trees in 2022.

Through the project, Oak seeds will be collected on the mountains, which will be planted into greenhouses until the tiny seedlings grow into small oak trees. Site and landscape selection for planting the Oak trees was selected by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Oak trees are planned to be planted on Shakrok mountain.

Planting one million trees in KRI is the first step to restore its natural ecosystem, besides, it would build community spirit and unity, spreads awareness about the benefits of trees and nature, reduce the risk of soil erosion, and it creates micro-climate to the local community.

The ‘One Million Oak’ project started as a pilot project by Hasar Organization in 2020 with the goal of planting one million Oak trees from 2020 till 2024. For the year 2022, the project will be implemented in partnership with Rwanga Foundation aiming at having 200,000 planted Oak trees by the end of the year.