ISLAMABAD: According to Global Climate Risk Index (2017), Pakistan ranks at 7th position among the most adversely affected countries by climate change.
An Economic Survey announced by Finance Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar on Thursday revealed that despite having the high vulnerability of future climatic changes, Pakistan is still among very low GHG emission emitter countries.
However, being a responsible state and part of international community, Pakistan is planning to take serious steps for playing an effective role in lowering global GHG emissions.
Realising the high vulnerability to climate change, the government has developed a national policy to combat climate change and an action plan is being developed to effectively implement climate change concerns through sustainable planning.
To materialise the efforts regarding protection of climate change the government has recently passed Pakistan Climate Change Act 2017.
The legislation has, in turn, created Climate Change Fund, Climate Change Council and Climate Change Authority to implement the Climate Change Act.
Projects/programmes undertaken during 2016-17 keeping in view the challenges and distortions caused by global climate change, the worldwide efforts are underway to mitigate the devastating effects.
Pakistan, like many other countries, is fully cognizant of the issue and has already undertaken various programmes and projects.
Sustainable Land Management Programme with UNDP assistance is being implemented at a cost of Rs105.400 million.
The prime minister has approved launching of Green Pakistan Programme, Revival of Forestry Resources aimed to increase the forest cover of the country.
Total cost of the programme is Rs 3652.100 million and an amount of Rs554.000 million has been released during 2016-17.