Fekadu Beyene

Ethiopian climate activist leading youth-driven reforestation in Africa

Fekadu Beyene is the visionary behind Ethiopia's Green Legacy Initiative, which mobilized 350 million tree plantings in 12 hours during a 2020 national campaign. As a UN Climate Champion since 2019, he bridges grassroots action with global policy. Growing up in degraded landscapes, Fekadu (b. 1995) developed a decentralized model where local communities manage seedling nurseries and monitor sapling survival rates using blockchain tech. His 2023 book 《Reforesting Our Future》 details strategies for climate action through education. Partnering with the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100), he's expanded programs into Kenya and Tanzania. The 2022 documentary 《Roots of Resistance》 chronicles his work amid political challenges, earning him the Time magazine 'Hero of the Environment' award in 2021.