TASHKENT, April 27. /Dunyo IA/.  From April 21^st to 25^th, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) held a global social media campaign in Uzbekistan titled “One Click = One Tree”. The initiative, timed to coincide with International Earth Day, was aimed at supporting climate action in the Aral Sea region, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The initiative was implemented as part of the 'Green Aral Sea' program. Its mechanism was extremely simple: a like, comment, or repost on the social media posts was equal to planting one saxaul seedling, allowing a wide audience to engage with the environmental agenda.

Following the campaign, approximately 1,300 user actions were recorded, reflecting a high level of interest and participation. At the same time, UNDP clarified that the planting material had been pre-funded, as the primary goal of the campaign was to raise awareness. As a result, all 1,500 seedlings will be planted on the dried bed of the Aral Sea.

Financial support was provided by Tashkent International School, which funded the purchase of the seedlings. Their planting is scheduled for the winter period. In this way, users' digital activity is transformed into practical ecosystem restoration measures - strengthening the soil, reducing erosion and supporting local communities.

After reaching the initial target, the campaign continued in the form of additional fundraising through the Every.org platform. Approximately USD 900 has already been raised, which will allow for the planting of about 900 more trees. The collection is ongoing, and every dollar ensures the planting of one seedling. Support for the project is open until April 30.

Since 2022, UNDP and its partners have planted approximately 925,000 saxaul seedlings. However, significant territories remain vulnerable, highlighting the need for further expansion of such initiatives.

“The Aral Sea crisis remains one of the key climate challenges. On International Earth Day, we demonstrate the power of partnership: by joining forces, we can achieve concrete results”, - noted Akiko Fujii, UNDP Resident Representative in Uzbekistan.

“For our school, it is important to foster environmental responsibility through practical actions. Supporting ‘Green Aral Sea’ allows us to translate engagement into real climate results”, - emphasized Bill Kralovec, Director of Tashkent International School.

The campaign is aimed at expanding public participation in addressing the environmental problems of the Aral Sea region and demonstrates how digital tools can work to achieve sustainable results.