The process of deforestation continues in the country as 27 hectares forest disappears annually which not only add to rapid environmental degradation but also adversely affect eco-system land under cultivation. This was stated by Federal Minister for Environment Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi while addressing a certificate awarding ceremony at the end of Natural Resource Management (NRM) and Climate change mitigation, adaptation and REDD workshop here on Friday.
"Pakistan is the most vulnerable country for climate change effects due to limited forest area," said Afridi, adding that with the increasing temperatures, melting of glaciers, monsoon variability, unpredictable rainfall and floods have become the most important issues for this country.
He further said that the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) had been the main instrument to reduce the emissions of harmful gases. Afridi mentioned that REDD is an effort to create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions from forest lands.
The minister said that global community has responded to these threats to life on earth and had reached an agreement under the umbrella of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC in 1992. There have been further developments since 1992 and Kyoto Protocol was a landmark achievement to reduce the emission of Green House Gases. He added that Forestry had largely remained aloof from the CDM mechanism though the contribution of forests to carbon emissions was substantial. However the scenario changed after the realisation of the role of forests in the carbon cycle was recognised, he added.
The minister said that forests not only sequester carbon but also by curbing deforestation through Reduced Emission from deforestation and Degradation REDD approximately 20 percent of global carbon emissions can be reduced. There have been tremendous developments in REDD since this realisation. Unfortunately Pakistan has been a bit late in joining the global efforts under REDD.
The minister told the participants that the Ministry of Environment has made substantial progress recently in brining REDD into our mainstream forestry. A REDD focal point and a Steering Committee has been established in the MoE. He underlined that Pakistan has also joined the Global REDD Partnership and our case for joining the UN REDD Programme and the World Bank's Forest Carbon Partnership is also under process. Pakistan realises that REDD is an effort to create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions from forest lands and invest in low-carbon paths to sustainable development.