Mr Phillimon Ogbonna, Abia State Commissioner for Environment and Urban Renewal, says the state will domesticate climate change programmes during its first summit in Umuahia.

Ogbonna disclosed this at an event to mark the 2023 Diocesan Tree Planting Campaign of the Catholic Diocese at Christ the King Cathedral, Aba on Thursday.

He said the summit would be the first in the state since the climate change issue gained traction in 2016.

According to him, the annual tree planting reminds man of the connection he has with nature.

“Abia government is planning the first Climate Change Summit where all the partners in this area will come together to domesticate Climate Change programmes in the state.

”Tree planting is important to humanity and the earth because through sustaining the environment, human life is sustained.

”Trees and forests play important roles in mitigating the impact of climate change and other environmental challenges like flooding and other forces of nature.”

The Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Aba, Most Rev. Augustine Echema, said earlier that this year’s diocesan tree planting was a green revolution campaign.

”The campaign is in line with the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa and the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria.

”It is to remind man of the need to care for the earth which belongs to every other creature for a peaceful co-existence.”

Echema, however, said the campaign has the mandate to plant about 1,000 economic trees.

According to him, it is regrettable that certain human activities had negatively impacted the ozone layer with danger looming therefrom.

He advised Nigerians to consciously work towards protecting the earth while appreciating the attention the present administration is giving to protecting the environment.