President marks UN International Year of Plant Health 2020
Date: Wed 15th Jan, 2020 | 17:06
President Higgins today marked the start of the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) 2020 by planting a tree in Dublin’s Phoenix Park.
President Higgins, who has made the protection of the planet’s natural resources a core theme of his Presidency, planted a native Sessile Oak tree at Ashtown Castle, to highlight the importance of plant health in the achievement of the UN agreed Sustainable Development Goals.
The President has issued the following statement:
“Healthy plants are a crucial part, not only of the natural environment but also of human health and well-being, as plants provide oxygen and most of the food consumed by people.”
By supporting the International Year of Plant Health, President Higgins hopes to help raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity and seeks to highlight how human activities can create conditions for plants and eco-systems to thrive.
The President also took the opportunity to highlight the impact of climate change, and in particular its impact on fragile communities the world over.
“Urgent action and reform of international policies is now a matter of survival itself,” he concluded.