Report on climate risks and food security analysis launched

25m trees planted during first year against target of 100m in five years

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Mushahidullah Khan addressed a press conference at Ministry of Climate Change highlighting achievements of Ministry of Climate Change and launched a report on Climate Change Risks and Food Security Analysis in collaboration of Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).

Khan highlighted that under its Green Pakistan Programme (GPP) 25 million trees planted during first year against a target of 100 million in five years. He further said that Glacial Lake Outburst Flood-II (GLOF-II) project has been approved by the Green Climate Fund worth $37 million. Foundation stone of botanical garden has been laid after consolidating the approximately 725 acres of land.

“We also hosted seventh South Asian Conference on Sanitation in April 2018. SACOSAN is a government-led conference held every second year on a rotational basis in eight South Asian countries,” he said adding that they have also installed mobile upgraded air quality monitoring stations for monitoring all the major parameters of air quality in Islamabad as well as any part of the country.

He also told the media that Pakistan Climate Change Bill has been passed to prepare and supervise implementation of adaptation and mitigation projects in various sectors.  This law provides for the constitution of a policy making Pakistan Climate Change Council at the apex, chaired by the prime minister, and the establishment of Pakistan Climate Change. Framework for Implementation (2014-2030) – National Climate Change Policy has been formulated.



The objective of National Climate Change Policy is to ensure that climate change is mainstreamed in the economically and socially vulnerable sectors of the economy and to steer Pakistan towards climate resilient development. The framework for implementation outlines the vulnerabilities of various sectors to climate established migratory birds and the Houbara Bustard Endowment Fund.

Capitalisation of the endowment is Rs250 million. It shall provide funding for developing and implementing programmes for conservation of a valuable migratory bird. Paris Agreement and Doha Amendment to Kyoto Protocol of UNFCCC have been ratified. Paris Agreement aims to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below two degree centigrade above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degree centigrade.



Doha Amendment refers to the changes made to the Kyoto Protocol in 2012, after the First Commitment Period of the Kyoto Protocol concluded. He further highlighted Nationally Determined Commitments (NDCs) have been submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)' Secretariat in 2016. Pakistan-NDCs show mitigation potential of 20% in greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions at a cost of $40 billion. It also identifies adaptation cost of $7-14 billion per annum.

National Forest Policy has been approved by the Council of Common Interests. The policy aims at expansion, protection and sustainable use of national forests, protected areas, natural habitats and watersheds for restoring ecological functions, improving livelihoods and human health in line with the national priorities and international agreements.

“We also launched a study Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment of Islamabad to make the federal capital a climate resilient city,” Khan said.

He said the ministry also held a consultation on marine protected areas and declared Astola Island the first marine protected area in Pakistan. It aims at conservation and preservation of marine biodiversity and ecosystem.

The total area of Astola Island, Marine Protected Area is 401 sq km. He also talked about Initiative to formulate the National Wildlife Policy organising of door to door planting awareness campaign “Ghar GharAik Shajar” or tree in every house in Islamabad, holding of the Sustainable Development Expo and preparation of research report on heatwave formulated by the Ministry of Climate Change in 2015.

Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change Romina Khursheed Alam in introductory remarks said that a secretariat for Sustainable Development Goals has been created in Parliament.

“We have made remarkable achievements in climate change issues.” SDPI Chief Executive Abid Sulehri briefly highlighted facts and findings of the report. It highlighted the challenges posed by global climate change to the availability, access, utilisation and stability of the food system in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2018.