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PESHAWAR, Jul 17 (APP):The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has officially launched the province’s first Forest Carbon Credit Mapping Report in a landmark event held at the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar.
Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur formally unveiled the report during a special ceremony attended by senior government officials and partner organizations.
According to official details, the mapping — carried out using advanced technology — has identified ten potential forest-based carbon credit projects spanning 2.2 million hectares across the province.
These projects have the capacity to absorb more than 400 million tons of carbon and are expected to generate an estimated $4 billion in revenue. Additionally, the initiatives could create up to 50,000 green jobs.
Speaking at the event, CM Gandapur hailed the mapping as a historic step in the province’s forestry sector.
He praised the KP Forest Department and partner institutions for their contributions, saying, “This mapping will lay the foundation for the province’s participation in the global carbon credit market and provide access to innovative financial tools such as green finance.”
He emphasized that the initiative represents a comprehensive model for KP’s environmental, economic, and social development.
Gandapur noted that KP’s forests constitute 46% of Pakistan’s total forested area and have the potential to absorb 50% of the country’s carbon emissions.
He stated that the province could earn up to $100 million annually through carbon credit markets. The current provincial government, he said, is taking serious measures to fully utilize this potential.
He also called on the public to actively participate in forest conservation, encouraging citizens to plant trees on unused lands and around their homes. “Government efforts alone are not enough; the people must also play their part in protecting and expanding our forests,” he concluded.