The Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change visited the WWF Wetland Centre in Karachi on Wednesday.The Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change Chairperson Senator SeemeeEzdi was in session regarding the Mangroves conservation and the future outlook in Pakistan with the Special context of the Indus Delta along with her team.Along with Senator SeemeeEzdi, other members of the Senate committee included Senator Dr. Mohammad HamayunMohmand, Senator KhalidaAteeb and Senator Abida Muhammad Azeem attended the event.Director General WWF Pakistan HammadNaqi Khan addressed the session. He briefed the committee on the climate vulnerability of Pakistan. Khan also highlighted the significant importance of the Indus Delta region and Mangroves conservation.
He further shared that ecologically, mangrove forests are the top habitat for biodiversity as it creates a defense system against natural disasters such as Tsunami, cyclones and sea storms.
Senator SeemeeEzdi also expressed concerns about the challenges of Mangroves conservation and the shrinking of the Indus Delta region. She also praised WWF Pakistan’s performance for the last 10 years in Mangroves conservation and development of marine ecosystems.Senior Manager Conservation WWF Sindh Altaaf Sheikh provided the committee with a detailed overview of WWF programs in Pakistan. Sharing details on the mangroves conservation approach, he shared that “WWF Pakistan is currently working on 18 different landscapes.”
“From mountains to mangroves,” he said during the session. Sheikh also shared that the Indus Delta is 5th largest arid ecosystem and hosts 7th largest mangrove forest in the world. He also described the socioeconomic aspects of the Indus Delta and shared that the delta contributes 98% of shrimp catch and more than 77% of marine fish catch.Altaaf Sheikh detailed the challenges of the shrinkage of the Indus Delta region due to sea intrusion and soil erosion. He also noted that clearing of mangrove forest land for its commercial use has worsened deforestation leading to loss of biodiversity.
The Chief Conservator of Forest Department, Riaz Ahmed Wagan, discussed the role of forest department in the conservation of Mangroves and its future outlook, including environmental and economic benefits.
