Faiza Tehseen

Pakistan is in dire need of nature-based solutions (NBS) like reforestation and afforestation to mitigate the impacts of natural

disasters, opined Muhammad Saleem Shaikh, media spokesperson for the climate change and environmental coordination ministry, while taking to WealthPK. He said, “NBS are critical for Pakistan’s climate resilience. They can be effective for environmental conservation and protection, and enhancing resilience of the people and eco-systems against the exacerbating climate change impacts. NBS can benefit both people and the natural eco-systems, and are especially effective for flood risk management, sedimentation, erosion, and loss of vegetation. Pakistan’s climate vulnerability demands attention to NBS, emphasizing eco-system restoration and conservation.” The forest cover in Pakistan has been declining drastically over the past few years. As a result, Pakistan ranks among the top 10 most vulnerable countries affected by the climate change. Rising temperatures, increases in extreme weather events, and erratic rainfall are all threatening.

Saleem said, to tackle these impacts, the current government was playing a smart role by offering sustainable and adaptive strategies for resilience. NBS are the top priority to leverage the natural eco-systems, water management, disaster mitigation, and enhance biodiversity. All the said steps will provide an alternative to rigid and conventional infrastructure. He said NBS were critical for Pakistan’s climate resilience and could be effective for environmental conservation and protection and enhancing the resilience of the people and eco-systems against the exacerbating climate change impacts. NBS can benefit both people and the natural eco-systems, especially for effective flood risk management, sedimentation, erosion, and the loss of vegetation. Pakistan’s climate vulnerability demands attention to NBS, emphasizing eco-system restoration and conservation.

Muhammad Saleem shared with WealthPK, “The forest cover in Pakistan has declined drastically over the past several years. As a result, the country ranks among the top 10 countries most affected by climate change-caused disasters.” He said, “To tackle these impacts, the current government is offering sustainable and adaptive strategies for resilience. NBS are the top priority to leverage the natural eco-systems, water management, disaster mitigation, and enhance biodiversity. All the said steps will provide an alternative to a rigid and conventional infrastructure. “In this regard, ‘Recharge Pakistan Project’ is one of the major initiatives. This project is supported by the Green Climate Fund and other partners. The project aims to restore the wetlands and manage the flood plains of the Indus basin. It will not only help mitigate the effects of regular annual floods but also recharge the groundwater aquifers that are crucial to addressing the increasing water scarcity in Pakistan.

The other expected outcomes are the ecological balance in the key regions and climate resilience of the vulnerable communities.” NBS are a form of cost-effective and community-driven approach to tackling water shortage, flooding and urban heat. Integration of green areas, wetlands, and forests in mega cities – Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Peshawar – can help mitigate extreme weather effects with improved air quality and retention of water, added Muhammad Saleem. Talking to WealthPK, Muhammad Saleh Mangrio, Executive Director Centre for Rural Change, Sindh, said, “NBS signal a shift toward Pakistan’s commitment to a sustainable green future.” Pakistan is taking proactive steps to cope with the impacts of natural disasters through NBS. To enhance food security and reduce the carbon footprint, NBS lead toward a sustainable agriculture and forestry practices.

In rural areas, agroforestry and rainwater harvesting are proving helpful in improving the soil health and water preservation sources by providing an integrating climate resilience model with the local livelihoods. Regardless of the said efforts, there is still a need for the most significant financial and policy support concerning the NBS to fully capitalize on its potential. Pakistan is direly in need of positioning itself to advocate increased climate funding for climate impact solutions. Increased water storage and recharge of the existing aquifers through wetlands, hill torrent management, and flood plains also forge a paradigm shift to scale up the natural resource management, added Muhammad Saleh.

Credit: INP-WealthPk