‘Climate change needs nature-based solutions’

PM’s aide says lessons need to be learnt from pandemic

ISLAMABAD:

Climate change is a massive challenge for the country, which is among the most impacted in the world, but it can only be tackled by employing nature-based solutions.

This was stated by the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam on Monday while inaugurating a day-long national conference on 'Climate Risks and Perspective of Children and Youth: Reflection on Provincial conference'.

The conference was held in the federal capital on Monday to highlight children's rights such as access to safe water, sanitation, quality education, food, health, socialisation, participation and association affected in any disaster.

The conference had been organised by the Research and Development Foundation (RDF) with support from Kindernothilfe (KNH) funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Aslam inaugurated the conference together with the head of development cooperation at the German Embassy Marion Pfennigs. Aslam appreciated the participation of youth and children from all the provinces. He highlighted the lessons that the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic had taught us, stating that nature cannot be fought.

“Nature always strikes back and this phenomenon applies to the issue of climate change as well,” he added. The special assistant shared efforts of the government on tackling climate change, saying that during the pandemic, Pakistan had changed directions and has implemented several projects in this regard. “The 10 billion tree plantation project, which is currently underway in all provinces, will increase forest cover,” he noted. Aslam said that people from all sectors, including agriculture, know that climate change is a huge challenge but it can only be tackled by employing nature-based solutions.