Norwegian Embassy plants trees to offset own carbon-footprint

From L to R: Norwegian Ambassador to ASEAN Mr Morten Høglund, Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines Bjørn Jahnsen, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity Executive Director Dr Theresa Mundita Lim, Quezon City Local Government Head of Environmental Protection and Waste Management Ms Andrea Villaroman, ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Bantay Kalikasan Program Director Ms Jen Santos

The Norwegian ambassador together with the ASEAN green initiative made their first move on reducing carbon footprint by planted 500 trees in Metro Manila on 19th November 2019.

The Embassy has specifically chosen to plant trees in the La Mesa Watershed, as this is the carbon dioxide sink of Metro Manila. The watershed is also a major source of water for some 12 million residents of Metro Manila.

La Mesa Watershed is part of the Angat-Ipo-La Mesa water system, which supplies most of the water supply of Metro Manila holding over 50 million cubic meters occupying an area of 27 square kilometers.

Bjørn Jahnsen, Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines

“The Norwegian Embassy in Manila is constantly looking for possibilities to reduce our carbon footprint here in the Philippines,” said Mr Bjørn Jahnsen, Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines.

“By planting 500 seedlings this year, we are offsetting roughly 74 tons of carbon footprint equivalent to the projected carbon footprint that the embassy is producing per year,”

The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Manila has been actively working on projects and initiatives to make its workplace greener. This year, the Embassy also installed a 16-kilowatt peak (kWp) solar power system in the Ambassador’s residence. preserving biodiversity.

Dr Theresa Mundita Lim, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity Executive Director

“With land conversion and degradation rapidly gobbling up forests and other vital ecosystems, any effort to conserve the last standing forests that we have deserves praise. I am glad that we are not alone in protecting and preserving the remaining biodiversity in the region,” ACB Executive Director Mundita Lim announced in her speech.

“The Royal Norwegian Embassy’s commitment to support our fight against climate change, specifically the Embassy’s pledge to plant an estimate of 500 trees, could not have come at a better time. This supports the ASEAN’s latest undertaking the ASEAN Green Initiative, which was introduced during the 15th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment in Siem Reap, Cambodia, last October,”

“The ASEAN Green Initiative aims to plant 10 million trees all over the ASEAN region and raise awareness about biodiversity and ecosystem services and its values. It intends to promote public and private investment in biodiversity and ecosystem services, and ensure that regional policies and strategies are supported by grassroots actions,” Dr. Lim added.


Norway is also dedicated to enable vulnerable countries to adapt to climate change, prevent deforestation, reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions. By 2030, Norway is targeting to lower its own greenhouse gas emissions by 40%.

About Zazithorn Ruengchinda

ScandAsia Journalist • Scandinavian Publishing Co., Ltd. • Bangkok Thailand

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