Action plan being readied to increase forest cover

The federal government is preparing a national action plan to increase forest cover and promote wildlife conservation in the country through a national forest policy.Secretary Climate Change Arif Ahmad Khan informed this to members of a Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change Wednesday.The secretary said that a voluntary force of some 0.5 million people is also being set up in 152 districts of the country with help of the Red Crescent Pakistan."This force will help the government grow nurseries and stop illegal cutting of trees around their homes and villages," he said, adding that Pakistan is committed to increase forest cover in the country through awareness and curbing deforestation.He said the country also lacks professional skills and capabilities to deal with the challenge; therefore no significant progress has been achieved so far in the area.Senator Sitara Ayaz suggested that the provinces should seek disaster risk reduction funds from JICA, a Japanese development organisation, and devise a cogent strategy to deal with adverse impacts of the climate change.Minister for Climate Change Zahid Hamid said the country's ranking on Global Risk Index has improved from number ten to eight."The national environment standard is already in place in the whole country and it is necessary to take care of environmental impacts before initiating any new project," he added.The senators, however, said the crush machines and brick kilns have been working in the vicinity ofIslamabad while the government has failed in initiating any action against them.The minister responded that the crushing machines are operating in limits of Punjab provinces; therefore the federal government cannot take any action against them."Environmental Protection Agency is mandated to look into all these issues while provinces have also been setting up their separate EPAs following eighteenth amendment in the constitution," he said.Giving briefing to members of the committee on COP-21 Summit and Sustainable Development Goals, he said that a technical committee has beenconstituted to ensure implementation of the SDGs."We urged the rich countries during the summit to transfer technology and provide funds to developing countries like Pakistan; so that they could bring down the carbon emissions," he said.The minister, however, said the developed countries have made no promise in the climate pact to give any funds or transfer of technology to the developing countries to cope with the adverse impacts of the climate change.News SourceNews Collated byPAKISSAN.comCourtesy Business Recorder