Pakistan seeks assistance to achieve climate goals

Will join hands with Belarus in eco-tourism, water conservation, green tech transfer

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister's Coordinator on Climate Change Romina Khurshid Alam and Belarusian Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Sergey Maslyak have agreed to work together to boost cooperation in achieving common goals of environmental sustainability and climate resilience.

In this regard, they will mainly focus on eco-tourism, water conservation, circular economy, green technology transfer, exchange programmes, biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation. Both sides met on Monday where they discussed the potential for launching joint projects to build on efforts for climate change adaptation and renewable energy adoption against the exacerbating impact of global warming, particularly floods, heat waves, droughts, and groundwater depletion.

The PM's climate aide emphasised that collaboration between the two countries in biodiversity research and innovative wetland preservation techniques by leveraging the expertise of Belarus would prove to be of unprecedented value.

Romina Khurshid Alam called for making joint efforts for policy development to align strategies with international standards, aiming to bolster sustainable development.

Collaborative initiatives for enhancing biodiversity conservation would be of paramount importance to restore native species in Pakistan and enhance ecosystem stability, she said.

She stressed the importance of preserving natural resources for environmental sustainability and suggested that Belarus's innovative approaches could assist Pakistan in managing its diverse climate. Alam said that Pakistan would appreciate collaboration with Belarus in the exchange of academia, technical know-how, knowledge sharing and capacity building. This will promote green education and awareness in the field of nature, environmental protection and rational use of natural resources for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to water, sanitation, energy, agriculture, gender equality and women empowerment.

The PM aide proposed partnerships in mitigating climate change as both countries had the potential to promote principles of green, circular and low-carbon economies. She advocated the need for improving regulatory frameworks to strengthen environmental governance, where both nations could achieve their sustainability goals. Sergey Maslyak said Belarus's experience in environmental monitoring could complement Pakistan's efforts to implement eco-friendly policies. Establishing joint ventures in these areas could further strengthen the partnership.