Provinces endorse New Forest Policy: Zahid

ISLAMABAD, Jun 9 (APP): Federal Minister for climate Change
Change, Zahid Hamid Friday said New Forest Policy has been approved by
Council of Common Interest which was also endorsed by provinces as well.
A meeting was held between Federal Minister for Climate Change
Zahid Hamid and World Bank delegation and discussed cooperation on
Green Pakistan Programme.
The minister informed the delegation that, “We are also declaring
Marine Protected areas in Pakistan.
Mr.Jiang Ru from World Bank discussed the financing option and
institutional arrangements for Green Pakistan Programme with the
minister.
He informed the minister that mission was willing to finance for
initiatives related to livelihood improvements under Green Pakistan Program in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa provinces initially.
He also pointed out that World Bank could provide
support for capacity building at national level through Ministry of
Climate Change from a minimum loan up to 100 million US dollars.
Besides that the bank would also explore possibility of seeking grant
from green Climate fund and Green Environment Facility.
He also told the minister that their focus would be on Forest
Resilient infrastructure, landscape management and forestry and
economic management.
It was also suggested by the Jiang that Ministry of climate
Change should provide some sort of incentives to provinces to
increase their forest cover. He also told the minister that World
Bank was also working on a project on watershed Management in
Balochistan.
Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Green Pakistan Programme,
Rizwan Mehboob also briefed the minister that when Prime Minister approved Green Pakistan Programme, also said to discover additional funding for this project from international donor agencies.
In this regard, Secretary Ministry of Climate Change requested
Secretary Economic Affairs Division to help in exploring financing
of different components of program, especially in the areas of
policy measures and capacity building.
On the request of Economic Affairs Division, a scoping mission of World Bank visited Pakistan and held meetings with representatives of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa forest departments and secretary Ministry of Climate Change.
The meeting was attended by Rahat Jabeen environmentalist
Expert, Rajesh expert on REDD Plus Project, Secretary Ministry of
Climate Change Syed Abu Ahmed Akif, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on
Climate Change Rizwan Mehboob, Director General Environment Irfan
Tariq, Inspector General Forest Syed Mehmood Nasir.