Incheon to Plant 30 Million Trees Over 10 Years, Creating a 'Future Forest' to Address the Climate Crisis

【Financial News Incheon = Han Gap-su, Reporter】 Incheon Metropolitan City Government will plant 30 million trees over 10 years, from 2026 to 2035, to address the climate crisis and expand carbon sinks.
Incheon Metropolitan City Government announced on the 13th that it will fully launch the Green City Incheon Future Forest Project to achieve the 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and improve the urban environment.
The large-scale urban forest project is based on the idea that Incheon's 3.05 million residents will each plant one tree every year for 10 years. It will connect fragmented green corridors throughout the city, restore ecosystems, and establish a green network.
Located near the west coast, Incheon frequently receives fine dust from outside the region. The city also has a relatively high share of greenhouse gas emissions because large industrial complexes, the Seoul Metropolitan Landfill, and thermal power facilities are concentrated there. In response, the city plans to systematically expand urban greenery and improve the urban ecological environment.
The city will plant a total of 30 million trees in phases, including 12 million in the public sector and 18 million in the private sector. Once the project is completed, it is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 18,000 tons of CO2 equivalent annually. It is also expected to reduce fine dust, mitigate the urban heat-island effect, and lower road noise.
The city has previously expanded urban forests in residential areas through the 2003–2006 Green Incheon 3 Million Tree-Planting Campaign and the 2016–2025 New Green City 30 Million Tree-Planting Campaign.
Ha Cheol-jong, head of the city's Greenery Policy Division, said, "This project is a key climate-crisis response measure that directly contributes to achieving the 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution." He added, "Together with citizens, we will create a pleasant, green, and eco-friendly future city of Incheon."
[email protected] Han Gap-su Reporter