Pakistan set to complete one billion trees plantation by mid year

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to achieve one billion tree plantation target of its Ten Billion Tree Tsunami initiative by the middle of the current year, a meeting of the Committee on Climate Change chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan was informed on Monday.

The meeting was also informed that emission growth was nine percent below Business as Usual baseline and also below the NDC (Nationally Determined Commitments).

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Minister for Planning Asad Umar, Minister for Power Omar Ayub Khan, Minister for Water Resources Muhammad Faisal Vawda, Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan, Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan, SAPM Malik Amin Aslam, Minister of State Zartaj Gul, SAPM Dr. Moeed Yousaf, and senior officials were present during the meeting.

Prime Minister Imran Khan while appreciating the efforts of Ministry of Climate Change directed to actively look into the possibility of net zero emissions for Pakistan which may become possible with enhancement of the carbon sequestration potential.

Underscoring the need for putting in place Early Warning System to mitigate impacts of erratic climate change, the Prime Minister also stressed upon the need for water treatment plants to purify contaminated surface water of the rivers.

The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction over the progress of phase wise Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme and directed for ensuring complete transparency, including actively engaging SUPARCO, for satellite imagery in the execution of Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme across the country.

The meeting reviewed the latest inventory reserves of Green House Gases (GHG) and progress made on Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme.

It was informed that the climate friendly shift had been made possible due to increased forest cover as a result of successful Billion Tree Tsunami project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the ongoing Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme across the country.

SAPM on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam informed the meeting that the deforestation rate had significantly been reduced from 12000 hectares/year to 8000 ha/y from 2012-2016 and will further fall with 10BTT success.

The meeting was informed that Pakistan was contributing less than one percent in global emission. The overall ranking of the country vis-à-vis total emissions has shifted from 135 in 2015 to 133 in 2018 on Per Capita ranking.

Highlighting other successes, SAPM informed the meeting that Pakistan has increased its mangrove cover by 300 percent during 1990-2020 which is a strong carbon sequestering tool.

It is the largest mangrove cover increase in the world.

The meeting was informed that the country is ranked as 8th in terms of Climate Vulnerability Ranking and is faced with threats of rain variability, urban flooding, increased temperature and formation of glacial lakes.

SAPM Malik Amin Aslam also updated the Prime Minister about the progress of 10 Billion Tree Tsunami.

The Committee was also briefed that the Consortium of three international agencies, including WWF, IUCN and FAO have already started their work for Third Party monitoring of Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme.

The meeting was informed that 80,000 jobs were offered during the COVID-19 under 10 BTT project.