The Rivers State Government has announced plans to make tree planting compulsory in new building plans submitted for approval from December as part of efforts to promote greener communities and combat climate change.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Amairigha Edward Hart, disclosed this during a meeting with professors from the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainable Development Studies, Rivers State University (RSU), at the ministry’s headquarters on Moscow Road.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Tpl. Soibi Duke Harry, Hart announced the constitution of a committee comprising ministry directors and RSU professors to coordinate the initiative.
He explained that the committee was developing strategies for the appropriate distribution of trees, shrubs and flowers across the state.
According to him, all new building plans submitted for approval from December must incorporate at least one tree, which could be economic, ornamental or flowering.
“We are not waiting,” Hart said, expressing the ministry’s readiness to begin implementation.
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Speaking at the meeting, the Director of the RSU Centre for Climate Change and Sustainable Development Studies, Professor Sodienye Abere, said the centre was committed to addressing wider environmental challenges, particularly climate change mitigation and adaptation.
He called for the ministry’s continued collaboration, noting that the proposed interventions would extend across the 23 local government areas of the state.
Similarly, the Head of Research and Learning at RSU, Professor Patricks Ekedede Chinemerem, highlighted international experiences in green city development and tree-planting programmes.
He stressed the need for a structured implementation and tree-management framework, including the selection of suitable species to ensure the programme’s long-term sustainability.
The ministry’s Director of Building Plan Approval and Regulations, Tpl. Emmanuel Oti, also described tree planting as an important measure for environmental protection, sustainable urban development and climate change mitigation.
The proposed policy is expected to promote environmentally responsible construction, expand urban greenery and strengthen environmental sustainability across Rivers State.
