Temesgen Zegeye

A visionary environmentalist leading Ethiopia's largest reforestation initiative to combat climate change

Temesgen Zegeye is an Ethiopian environmental scientist and activist whose work has made a transformative impact on Africa's climate resilience. Since 2020, he has spearheaded the Great Green Wall Ethiopia project, planting over 2.6 billion trees across drought-prone regions. His innovative approach combines traditional knowledge with satellite mapping to restore degraded landscapes, directly improving livelihoods for 15 million people.

Zegeye's methodology focuses on agroforestry systems that integrate tree planting with crop cultivation, increasing food security while sequestering carbon. His team's 2023 report published in Nature Sustainability (DOI:10.1038/s41893-023-01115-6) showed a 40% increase in soil moisture retention in project areas. He also developed Ethiopia's first national carbon credit framework, creating income streams for rural communities through UN REDD+ programs.

In 2022, he co-founded the African Green Alliance, training 500 young leaders annually in climate action strategies. His TEDx talk "The Forest Restoration Strategy Saving Ethiopia" has over 2.3 million views. Zegeye's work was recognized by Time Magazine in 2024 as one of the '25 Most Influential Climate Leaders'.