Provincial Minister for Environment Begum Zakia Shahnawaz has said that “It’s the high time for Pakistan to get fully prepared on the legal, institutional and policy frameworks regarding climate change using a bottom-up approach at district and provincial levels. Climate change is a big challenge. Environment Protection Department is taking preventive measures to mitigate the rising issues of climate change.
Oxfam in Pakistan and Indus Consortium organized a GROW Festival to launch the Climate Public Expenditure Review (CPER) in Lahore. The vibrant event was full of cultural festivity, colors and a variety of cultural food stalls by community women from different districts of Punjab. Provincial Food Minister Punjab, Bilal Yaseen inaugurated the event at the College of Earth and Environment Sciences at CEES, University of Punjab, where over 4000 guests participated, including parliamentarians, environmentalists, academia, civil society experts, government officials and development organizations.
Referring to Oxfam’s research paper on climate change, Oxfam in Pakistan’s Country Director, Mohammed Qazilbash said, “An Oxfam analysis of policies and public investments in six countries including Pakistan, shows that women farmers are not getting the resources they need to feed their families and communities and adapt to climate change. While climate change affects us all, the risks of displacement are significantly higher in lower-income countries and among people living in poverty. The first priority must be rapid reductions in global climate pollution. At the same time, communities must be supported to build resilience to the impacts of climate change that can no longer be avoided.”
Climate change is amplifying the risk of extreme weather disasters by increasing the destructive power of storms and floods. At the same time, rising seas, shifting rainfall patterns, drought and other slow-onset changes are eroding people’s land, natural resources and security, and magnifying existing vulnerabilities. The impacts of sea-level rise and other slower-onset changes such as desertification are felt incrementally over time, with assets and security being steadily eroded, and communities faced with a long and difficult decision making period. Discussing the role that academic institutions can play in the fight against climate change Dr. Sarwat Naz Mirza, Vice Chancellor Arid University Rawalpindi said, “Academic institutions can enhance their role and produce results with the collaboration of civil society members and communities. To get results with long lasting impacts, research on climate change should be aligned with local issues and solutions which is somehow a missing factor.”
Jamshaid Fareed, Chairman Indus Consortium said, “Partnerships with the government, INGOs, academia, private sector and local communities is the dire need of the time. Joint deliberations can fill the gap of unavailability of inclusive planning and execution of the programmes and schemes initiated at all levels.” The growing threat of climate change requires an integrated global agenda and jointly organized development initiatives of academia, the government and private sector. Young university researchers should take the challenge of quality research and develop a vital link with rural communities and come with new climate resilient solutions. Sharing the findings of a recent study Ms Anila Bibi said, “Since Punjab is responsible to contribute more than 50pc annual food grain, only 10pc increase in the agriculture sector for climate change related activities and the massive decline in livestock and food sectors is alarming.”
On the occasion, Prof Dr. Ismail Kumbhar director SAU, Tando Jam, representative of BZU, Captain (R) Saif Anjum, Secretary EPA Punjab, Ms. Saadia Sohail Rana, MPA-PTI, Ms. Faiza Ahmed Malik, MPA-PPP also shared their views.