This Indian State Just Planted 66 Million Trees In 12 Hours

In a record-breaking attempt to combat climate change, residents of Madhya Pradesh (MP) planted 66 million trees over a 12 hour period. The previous record, from 2015, also held by MP, was broken by over 15 million with volunteer counts topping 1.5 million. After restoring Narmada River’s flora and fauna, MP’s Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, described the green-effort as, “historic.” He posted a broader note via social media that stated, “By planting trees we are not only serving Madhya Pradesh but the world at large.”

The sentiment comes in times of global uncertainty, with regards to climate change. Donald Trump, America’s commander-in-chief, recently opted out of the Paris Agreement which was signed by his predecessor Barack Obama, along with 195 other nations, including India. Trump, who previously criticized India’s commitment to the arrangement, may find his comments—unfounded, as India is set to reach its 5 million hectares of forest goal, by 2030. The Paris Accord is the bedrock on which the world hopes to build a sustainable future and other nations must follow suit to ensure India’s efforts aren’t in vain.