Call for data-driven solutions to urban flooding
The experts at a stakeholder dialogue advocating the importance of data for development and resilience on Wednesday underscored that urban centres of the country were facing an increasing risk of growing vulnerability due to climate disasters amid rising trends of urbanisation and poor land use planning.
The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the Forman Christian College University (FCCU) organised a dialogue titled 'Data for Development (D4D) Climate Change, Mega Cities and Urban Floods.
Ahmed Iqbal, the Chairman Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Punjab Assembly, said that not only policymakers but every citizen was facing the brunt of climate change. Lahore was facing massive risk of climate disasters whereas rural to urban shift was also increasing in the province, he said, adding many villages in the province had been drowned due to recent monsoon rainfalls.
The MPA suggested that the provincial government should think of innovative incentives like tax rebates for green roof surface households, and enhanced funding for rainwater harvesting recharging wells to control urban flooding. But, without data, there was no possibility to achieve any outcome or objective in the realm of climate governance, he added.
Dr Abid Suleri, the Executive Director of SDPI, said that plastic pollution was a crucial part of urban flooding as in developing countries plastic bags were choking the drainage systems leading to urban flooding.
Dr Jonthan Addleton, the Rector of FCCU, said that data for development and decision-making was crucial amid climate change and urban flooding hazards.
Tania Durrani, the Development Professional at UNFPA, underlined that the agency was working with diverse stakeholders and academia to generate data that could influence programmes and policies in cross-sectoral domains as gender-segregated data is important to ensure inclusive development initiatives.
Dr Sajid Amin, the Deputy Executive Director of SDPI, introduced the D4D initiative, saying no development was possible without efficient data and information, whereas the role of federal and provincial governments was very important in data development.
Dr Sana Bashir, the Deputy Secretary of the Environment Protection Department, provided a comprehensive presentation on the efforts of the department in generating and collating data on climate and its implications.
Irfan Ali Khan, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab DG, said urban flooding had been a serious risk in the major urban centres of the country and the province.