ISLAMABAD – WWF-Pakistan and the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC),government of Pakistan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) topromote environmental conservation in Pakistan.
The MoU will enable signatories to work on various initiatives includingClean and Green Pakistan Movement, Billion Tree Tsunami Programme, RechargePakistan and WWF’s New Deal for Nature.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Malik Amin Aslam, Advisor to PrimeMinister of Pakistan for Climate Change. Hammad Naqi Khan, DirectorGeneral, WWF-Pakistan and Irfan Tariq, Director General Environment, MoCCsigned the MoU on the behalf of their respective organizations. The eventwas also attended by the senior officials from both organizations.
According to Germanwatch’s Global Climate Risk Index, Pakistan is one ofthe top most countries affected by climate change. The country has beenexperiencing extreme weather events such as floods, heatwaves and cyclonesover the past two decades. It also has the highest deforestation rate inAsia.
Forests are natural carbon sinks and play a significant role in reducingcarbon footprint and curbing global warming. Besides mitigating against theadverse impacts of climate change, forests also provide habitat to animals,livelihood to humans, prevent soil erosion and offer watershed protection.
Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General, WWF-Pakistan said, “From air pollution,receding groundwater level to increasing impacts of climate change,Pakistan is facing myriad of environmental issues. This MoU with the MoCCwill help us to address some of the critical environmental issues that thecountry is facing.” He added that the government will be a key partner inaddressing the issues related to deforestation, dwindling water resourcesand plastic pollution. “This partnership will also help us educate massesabout our shared responsibility to build a sustainable future.”
The Ministry of Climate Change, government of Pakistan has a mandate toaddress environmental degradation in the country. The government has showna firm commitment to protection, conservation, rehabilitation andimprovement of the environment; work on climate change mitigation; as wellas foster international cooperation.