FEDERAL Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Senator Sherry Rehman on Wednesday unveiled the country’s first-ever National Adaptation Plan (NAP) unanimously approved by the federal cabinet to enhance the nation’s resilience against adverse impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. It is a framework for implementing large-scale environmental adaptation, building climate resilience, promoting inclusivity and facilitating collaboration among different stakeholders and serves as an effective tool for climate finance mobilization.
Pakistan is one of the most affected countries due to climate change as was highlighted in the mega floods of 2022 which affected 33 million people and broke all records of monsoon flooding in the world. The catastrophe exposed the country’s unpreparedness to deal with the challenges posed by climate change. Thanks to the interest shown by the United Nations and its agencies, the world expressed solidarity with Pakistan and expressed willingness to offer assistance in coping with the challenge but it was felt that the country had no worthwhile plan to give concrete shape to the sympathy wave. It is appreciable that the plan has adopted a wholesome approach to the issue with the active collaboration of the provinces and different departments and stakeholders. Agriculture, being the mainstay of our economy, the plan accords first priority to agriculture-water nexus and hopefully effective planning would be done for conservation of flood water. Other priorities listed in the plan include natural capital, urban resilience, human capital and disaster risk management. The Ministry deserves credit for evolving a home-grown plan and it is hoped concerted efforts would be made towards its implementation through internal coordination and cooperation of the international community.
