Codesity Tackles Guwahati's Climate Crisis with "Mission: Zero Negative" Plantation Drive
GUWAHATI, Aug. 29, 2025 – Published by Bibek Jyoti Roy
In response to alarming environmental data, the non-profit tech initiative Codesity has announced "Mission: Zero Negative," a large-scale plantation drive launching in Guwahati on September 10, 2025. The mission aims to directly combat the city's escalating temperatures and the severe impacts of the urban heat island effect.
Recent studies have painted a stark picture for Guwahati. Research has shown the city has warmed by an average of 1.5°C over the last 50 years, a critical threshold that signals drastic climatic shifts. This is compounded by an 87% reduction in dense forest cover between 1976 and 2018, replacing vital green spaces with heat-absorbing concrete and asphalt.
The consequences are tangible, with core urban areas experiencing temperatures up to 2.29°C warmer than the outskirts, a classic symptom of the urban heat island phenomenon. "Mission: Zero Negative" is designed as a direct, community-led intervention to counteract these trends.
Bibek Jyoti Roy, founder of Codesity, emphasized the urgency of the initiative. "The data is unequivocal. We are facing a critical environmental challenge in Guwahati that technology alone cannot solve," he stated. "Responsibility for our environment is intertwined with our mission to innovate. 'Mission: Zero Negative' is our commitment to leveraging our community's strength to build a more sustainable and livable city for everyone."
The drive will focus on planting thousands of native tree species across strategic locations in the city to maximize their cooling effect and support local biodiversity. Codesity is calling on students, tech professionals, and all citizens of Guwahati to volunteer for the event.
Further details regarding volunteer registration and specific plantation sites will be made available in the coming week on the Codesity platform.