Staff Reporter Islamabad
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Climate Change (SAPM) Malik Amin Aslam Monday launched the National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS) for guaging the impact of 10 Billion Tree Tsunami and Billion Tree Tsunami plantation projects for results based payments under the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) mechanism.
Addressing the launching ceremony of NFMS portal and latest equipment distribution among forest departments of all federating units including Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) , the SAPM said the REDD+ mechanism was developed to make the world realise the significance of forests and give value to trees. Amin said: “Deforestation is responsible for 11 percent of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions causing environmental degradation. Trees can help contain 30 percent of the climate change causing emissions.”
He added that a recent global study claimed that one trillion tree plantation could help absorb all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of the world. The SAPM mentioned that the US pull out from Paris Agreement was a greater setback to the REDD+ efforts as the US was contributing 30 percent of the overall CO2 emissions.
It was propitious that the President Biden led US administration had rejoined the Paris Agreement whereas Pakistan was also a devout supporter of REDD+ initiative, he added. “Pakistan is the only developing country conserving its forests through her indigenous available resources and increasing forest cover.”
Amin noted that “we wanted to practically show the world what it aspired for mitigating environmental degradation through 10BTT”. The 10 BTT project, he said had become the identity of Pakistan globally where the newly elected US administration had congratulated him and desired to learn from Pakistan’s experience of this mega conservation project.
