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Dr. Saeed Ahmad Ali
LAHORE, Aug 03 (APP): Around the world, countries, institutions, and organisations are launching green initiatives to combat climate change and promote sustainability. From national policies to grassroots projects, these efforts aim to reduce environmental impact and create a more sustainable future.
The Punjab government is actively engaged in tree planting campaigns during August 2025, particularly under the “Chief Minister’s Plant for Pakistan Initiative”. These initiatives aim to combat climate change, promote sustainable development, and create a greener Punjab.
This initiative focuses on large-scale tree plantation with a target of planting 42 million trees on 50,869 acres.
Under the CM Agroforestry Initiative, it focuses on planting trees on forest wastelands, with a target of 1.375 million trees on 3,790 acres.
Furthermore, 1.375 million trees are being planted over 3,790 acres of forest wasteland, said a Punjab Forest Department top official. It is worth mentioning here that the CM’s green Initiatives are expansion of the Green Pakistan Program, under which the plantation of 466.463 million trees over 251,000 acres is underway.
Furthermore, in Punjab, a groundbreaking initiative has been launched by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif — the CM Punjab Green Credit Programme, that is the country’s first performance-based green rewards system. This flagship environmental programme incentivises citizens to undertake verified climate-positive actions, awarding them ‘Green Credits’ that are redeemable for cash prizes, public recognition, and other rewards.
Renowned environmentalist Dr Mahmood Khalid Qamar, speaking to APP, highlighted that the program identifies 32 climate-positive actions under its Green Credit Component. These actions target critical environmental sectors such as air, water, land, waste, ecology and biodiversity, and public awareness. Each verified action earns a Green Credit, carrying a monetary reward of Rs10,000.
Currently, the program is in its pilot phase and limited to Lahore. Only actions performed within Lahore are eligible for rewards. However, the initiative is being seen as a major leap forward in public-driven environmental engagement in Pakistan.
It is worth mentioning here that to implement the vision of Climate Resilient Punjab of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the provincial government has set aside a total of Rs795 billion (64 percent of the ADP) in current Budget for several projects made part of the Climate Budget Tagging Framework within different sectors.
Out of this allocation, Rs 277.4 billion is for Climate Adaptation, Rs 371.7 billion for Climate Mitigation and Rs 146 billion for various multi-faceted projects to enhance the capacity of various institutions and create awareness regarding environmental protection.
In the next fiscal year, a total of Rs 40 billion in development funds and Rs 9.12 billion in non-development funds have been allocated for the environmental protection, forestry, and wildlife and aquatic life sectors.
Similarly, Following the vision of Punjab CM, a largest forest of 51 million trees to be grown under Green Punjab Mission.
According to this initiative, a record tree plantation campaign has been launched to eliminate the effects of smog and climate change under the Green Punjab Mission.
Under this initiative, more than 13 million trees have already been planted in the last one year to eliminate smog under this plan.
Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb in her recent statement has said that our war against smog is not just seasonal, it is ongoing on a permanent basis under system-based reforms and environmental emergency. Work has begun to achieve the largest forest coverage in the country’s history, a total of 51 million trees, in the current fiscal year 2025-26.
She said that likewise, under the “Plant for Pakistan” initiative, a target of planting 34.2 million trees has been set, the scope of the “Green Pakistan Program” will be expanded by planting trees on an area of 41,345 acres. Similarly work has started on planting more than 1.5 million trees on 18,385 acres, she added.
Punjab Forestry Department official sources confirmed on Sunday that work has been started to plant 1.8 million trees on 3,000 kilometers along canals and roads, thus a total of about 51 million trees will be planted in this financial year.
They said that 104 Forest Command and Control Centers have been established across the province, 24-hour monitoring of forests is being ensured, and international standard facilities are being provided in Lal Suhanra National Park and Salt Range to promote eco-tourism.