Staff Reporter
As the global climate negotiations at COP26 in Glasgow have now drawn to a close. We know the science we have just nine years to halve emissions to limit warming to 1.5°C and avoid the worst consequences of climate change.
Already at 1.1°C, Extreme weather is wrecking the lives of the most vulnerable and driving greater inequality. And the impact is expected to get worse even if we limit warming to 1.5°C.
A stakeholders’ workshop on coastal climate vulnerabilities, challenges and opportunities, organized by Oxfam and WWF Pakistan, concluded.
Experts from civil society, the government and media came together to promote coordinated efforts for addressing major climate issues of the coastal areas.
The consensus was that this climate crisis requires urgent action and strong coordination towards enhancing inter-departmental and cross-sectoral efforts, which could accelerate impactful initiatives to address climate change.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Abdul Rahim Soomro, Secretary Culture Department, government of Sindh Chief Guest of the ceremony said that the Coastal Climate Vulnerability in Pakistan still needs better attention at federal and provincial level to broadly understand the issue and for its inclusive solution.
He urged the need of persistent actions and coordinated efforts to ensure a resilient future for all “it is the time we think of climate change a development issue that has the potential to increase social differences and injustice especially for those who are already living on the edge in the face of climate change”
Welcoming the participants Oxfam’s Project Manager Food Security, Mr. Muhammad Aurangzaib said, “Oxfam is respected as a force that is part of the global movement for climate justice. Pakistan’s poorest communities are hit worst by the climate crisis.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Tahir Rasheed, Regional Director, WWF-Pakistan said that climate change is posing a serious threat to present and coming generations. It is causing biodiversity loss, habitat degradation and exacerbating freshwater scarcity in Pakistan.
The joint initiative of WWF-Pakistan and Oxfam aims to enhance the resilience of vulnerable coastal communities to climate change through inclusive development and mitigation strategies.
The project integrates a stakeholder inclusive implementation strategy and working towards developing a strong research based to determine the scale of vulnerability of natural resource dependent communities through Vulnerability Risk Assessment at Keti Bunder and Kharo Chan.
The work carried our as part of this project together with consultations and research has helped in drafting sectoral Local Action Plan of Adaptation for vulnerable coastal communities of Keti Bunder and Kharo Chan and its integration into the polices and development budgets.
The work carried out under this project also successfully demonstrated adaptation models such as small scale aquaculture as an alternative livelihood source as well as cultivation of soan grass as alternate fodder crops for livestock otherwise rely on mangroves for fodder.
A research to assess the role of mangroves in DRR and economic valuation of DRR associated ecosystem services has also been carried out as part of this initiative.
