*Imran Khan Orders Establishment of 12 National Parks
In the economic survey of Pakistan FY2019, the economists recorded that erratic weather patterns and climate change have emerged as the biggest environmental challenges that are affecting almost all the sectors of economy particularly water resources, energy, health, biodiversity with a major impact on agricultural productivity. In view of Pakistan’s high vulnerability to the adverse impacts of climate change, the current government is committed to meet this challenge and the Prime Minister has constituted “Prime Minister’s Committee on Climate Change” to provide high level strategic guidance and platform for coordinated efforts on the issues of climate change. Federal Forestry Board (FFB) has also been revived to rehabilitate forests and forest cover in the country. Ministry of Climate Change has adopted a comprehensive approach on the disaster risk reduction and management. The government has also introduced climate budget coding and expenditure tracking system. This initiative has become a solid conduit for the climate change finance mainstreaming and will foster transparency in public investments. The monitoring of the expenditure will also give confidence to the international development partners in tracking expenditure under different funding streams to ensure that the finances are spent on the intended objectives.
| Annual financial needs for safely managed wash services (Rs Million) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.No | Description | Urban | Rural | Total | ||
| Water | Sanitation | Water | Sanitation | |||
| 1 | New Services: Basic Access | 13,968 | 12,797 | 8,595 | 28,543 | 63,883 |
| 2 | New Services: Safely Managed | 62,630 | 48,904 | 113,736 | 123,099 | 348,369 |
| 3 | Sustaining existing services: Basic Access | 16,635 | 11,100 | 11,110 | 20,735 | 59,580 |
| 4 | Sustaining existing services: Safely Managed | 36,229 | 11,100 | 33,461 | 20,735 | 101,525 |
| 6 | Overall Financing Needs | 98,849 | 60,004 | 147,197 | 143,834 | 449,894 |
Presently, the ‘Protected Area Initiative’ aims to protect and preserve flora and fauna as part of incumbent government’s ‘Green Pakistan’ program. Approving a ‘Protected Area Initiative’ that would focus on establishing 12 national parks in the entire Pakistan, Prime Minister claimed the plans would assist generate career opportunities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. During a meeting with Adviser to the P.M. on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam in Islamabad, PM said the parks would preserve and protect Pakistan’s flora and fauna. In addition to the job creation, PM said, Pakistan’s natural resources would also be protected. Moreover, Imran Khan also said all provinces should be brought onboard for this plan at the highest level, adding that chief ministers should be consulted on how best to proceed. Part of the incumbent government’s “Green Pakistan” program, the Protected Area Initiative would be formally inaugurated through the prime minister after the Ministry of Climate Change completes its consultation process with stakeholders.
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According to the sources, the meeting also discussed the Green Stimulus package approved by Imran Khan in April under which 65,000 youth and daily wagers who had been impacted by the economic downturn because of the COVID-19 would be employed to plant trees in Pakistan. On the other hand the World Bank inked an agreement with the Government of Pakistan to provide $188 million to address environmental degradation, deforestation and climate change-induced disaster risks. Addressing the signing ceremony, Adviser to the P.M. Aslam said the incumbent government was striving to raise environmental protection through forest regeneration and biodiversity conservation programs. He said the Green Stimulus program supports the prime minister’s aims of 10 Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation Project, which seeks to raise tree planting, new nurseries, natural forests, and promotion of honey, fruits and olive plantation in the country. It is also recorded that World Bank Country Director to Pakistan Illango Patchamuthu hoped at the gathering that the new initiative would enhance Pakistan’s climate-resilience and disaster management capabilities, and boost the bilateral relations between the Government of Pakistan and the World Bank. In last I would like to mention here that Pakistan is facing environmental problems, which include climate change impacts, loss of biological diversity, deforestation and degradation of air and water quality. The present government of Pakistan has introduced 10 Billion Trees Tsunami Program (TBTTP) to lead the country towards aiming at revival of forestry and control air, weather, wildlife, forestation, watershed management and soil conservation to combat the negative impacts of climate change.