The Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, Romina Khurshid Alam emphasised the unprecedented significance of the partnerships with different stakeholders for achieving Pakistan’s climate and sustainable development goals. Speaking at the signing ceremony of a Letter of Understanding (LoU) with the Aga Khan Foundation Pakistan, Pakistan (AKF-P) held here on Friday, PM’s climate aide stressed that such collaborations would significantly strengthen the government’s efforts to promote inclusive, climate-resilient socio-economic development in the country.

"The LoU marks a major step towards addressing climate vulnerabilities of mountain communities and fostering sustainable livelihoods for the mountain communities affected by the adverse impacts of climate change," Ms. Romina remarked. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC) and the Aga Khan Foundation-Pakistan (AKF-P), formalised their collaboration through the signing of the LoU, which aims to enhance livelihood security and promote sustainable socio-economic development in Pakistan’s rural and coastal areas.

This includes Sindh’s coastal regions, as well as the rural areas of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Letter of Understanding was signed by the Ministry’s, Aisha Humera Moriani and CEO of AKF in Pakistan Akhtar Iqbal. The event was attended by higher officials of the Ministry of Climate Change including Additional Secretary-I Zulfiqar Yunus, Additional Secretary-II Hammad Shamimi, Sr. Joint Secretary Muhammad Farooq and Joint Secretary (International Cooperation), Khalida Bashir. Addressing the event, Ms. Alam noted that Pakistan is facing significant climate-related challenges, particularly in its vulnerable coastal and mountainous regions.

"These areas are grappling with extreme weather events, glacial melting, sea-level rise, agricultural vulnerabilities, and water scarcity, all of which threaten the livelihoods of communities," she remarked. Stressing upon the urgent need for climate action, Ms. Alam explained that the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination recognises the importance of targeted interventions to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change and support the socio-economic development of these regions through effective climate actions in different sectors, particularly energy, water, food, health and education. In response to these challenges, the Ministry has entered into this strategic partnership with the Aga Khan Foundation to enhance climate resilience and promote livelihood security in underserved rural areas.

Addressing the event, the Ministry’s secretary Aisha Humera Moriani said the Gilgit-Baltistan, the 'roof of the world,' is facing severe climate impacts, including glacial lake outbursts, flash floods, and landslides, all of which threaten livelihoods and disrupt vital infrastructure. "Meanwhile, the coastal areas of Sindh are grappling with sea intrusion, high salinity, groundwater contamination, and loss of livelihoods due to the declining agriculture and fishing sectors. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is impacted by frequent floods, droughts, and landslides, with deforestation and soil erosion exacerbating the situation", the secretary added and said the ministry recognizes that the impacts of climate change in these regions are water-related and demand immediate action.

Additional Secretary-I Zulfiqar Yunus informed the LoU signing ceremony participants that Prime Minister has approved the Pakistan Carbon Market Policy, authorising carbon trading regulations. The ministry official said, “The approval of the policy has in fact paved the way for the country to trade carbon credits — one carbon credit is equal to one tonne of CO2 equivalent — in the international market under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.” “The approval of the policy by cabinet on December 27 would significantly help channel financial resources to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate their contribution to climate change,” the senior ministry official Mr. Zulfiqar Yunus remarked.

He said that all-out efforts would be made by the climate change and environmental coordination ministry to implement the national carbon market policy to attract green investments, achieve environmental stability, and plug the climate finance gap. The approval of the carbon markets policy by the federal cabinet paves the way for cooperative approaches and voluntary carbon markets. Meanwhile Ms. Romina Khurshid Alam hoped the partnership with Aga Khan Foundation-Pakistan will focus on implementing climate-smart solutions in agriculture, resource management, and infrastructure while fostering local involvement and sustainable practices.

The Foundation and its sister organizations will play a pivotal role in enhancing community resilience through initiatives in clean energy, climate-smart agriculture, and environmental education. "Through this collaboration, the Ministry of Climate Change and the Aga Khan Foundation aim to improve livelihoods, protect ecosystems, and promote sustainable socio-economic development in these vulnerable regions. The partnership will also work to advance climate-related initiatives, enhance research, build capacity, and mobilize joint resources", she added.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)