Mumbai: As part of the ‘Roots for Change’ initiative—an ambitious programme led by the Ismaili community to promote environmental responsibility and community participation—approximately one million trees have been planted across the globe, including in Mumbai, over the past year.
Initiative announced at 2025 Global Encounters Festival in Dubai
The Global Tree Planting Initiative was first announced at the 2025 Global Encounters Festival held in Dubai. Orchestrated by Ismaili CIVIC, the project calls upon the global Ismaili community and the wider public to take tangible steps towards a sustainable future. The initiative aligns with the Aga Khan Development Network’s (AKDN) commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions and planting five million trees by 2030.
"The festival took place in July 2025 and the Roots for Change was launched on World Earth Day 2025 and so far one million trees have been planted globally. There is more in progress and in India too," said Sophia Premjee, a Mumbai-based member of His Highness Prince Aga Khan Shia Imami Ismaili Council for India.
Programme launched on World Earth Day 2025, says Sophia Premjee
Volunteers from more than 20 countries have participated in these efforts, supporting nature-based solutions that promote environmental stewardship, enrich biodiversity, restore ecosystems, and strengthen climate resilience. The initiative is part of a growing movement towards grassroots environmentalism, demonstrating the vital role community-led efforts play in addressing global climate and sustainability challenges.
Ismaili CIVIC volunteers distribute saplings in areas where the community live. In the Mumbai region, trees have been planted in Thane. In Gujarat, a tree plantation drive covered a wide geographical area, including Vapi, Khanvel, Udhwa, Daman, Valsad, Umbergaon, Sanjan, and Silvassa. The primary aim of the initiative is to encourage individuals of all ages to engage actively in sustainable practices by planting and nurturing young trees.
Trees planted in Thane and across multiple Gujarat cities
The community said that senior citizens and children are participating in the programme that emphasises shared responsibility for environmental guardianship, highlighting how collective action across generations can contribute to a greener future. By involving families and local communities, the campaign seeks to instil a sense of ownership regarding nature and sustainability, the community said in a statement.
The community, which numbers between 12 to 15 million worldwide, is led by their 50th spiritual head, Prince Rahim Aga Khan, who succeeded his father on February 4, 2025, in accordance with the Shia Imami Ismaili tradition.
As the head of AKDN, the spiritual leader follows his father’s example of promoting environmental, social, and cultural projects, said Premjee.
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