Islamabad
Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) has initiated US $37million project funded by Green Climate Fund (GCF) for the glacial lake outburst flood second phase (GLOF-II) project for 12 vulnerable valleys in 15 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) from 2018 to 2023. The project was implemented to reduce impacts of Climate Change and implemented the project for Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) risk reduction in Northern Pakistan.
The objective of the project was to strengthen resilience of communities that were likely to be affected by GLOF. Initial assessment for 15 small scale infrastructure projects (Flood protection walls, Check dams etc) in KP and 15 water efficient irrigation systems in GB and KP was completed.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam told that the Ministry of Climate Change under the GLOF-II project was going to install glacial stations, discharge monitors and community funds in the vulnerable valleys. The SAPM said Climate Change induced glacial melt was now a common occurrence in Gilgit Baltistan Himalaya mountain range of Pakistan. The Ministry’s GLOF-II project was installing 50 glacial stations, 4000 river discharge monitors, community funds in 24 vulnerable valleys to adapt to this clear and present danger.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) was mulling over incentives for four-wheelers under National Electric Vehicle Policy which would be announced soon. In an exclusive talk, he said MoCC drafted the National Electric Vehicle Policy with the broad aim of getting the EVs introduced in the country in a phased manner addressing the issue of climate change and air pollution leading to many associated health benefits.
Amin said the draft policy would provide net benefits in the range of US$ 2.2 billion to US$ 3.7 billion as net saving in oil import bill to the country under different scenarios in the 2020 to 2030 time period. He added that the target of the Policy was to ensure 30 percent conversion of fuel based vehicular transport over electric vehicles by 2030.—APP
