ISLAMABAD: Minister of Climate Change Sherry Rehman on Monday said Pakistan was one of the three countries with the highest water pressure in the world and could be a water shortage country by 2025 if steps were not taken to save water and reduce the impact of climate change.
Speaking at a press conference after a meeting at the Office of the Prime Minister at which Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif set up a climate change mitigation team, he warned that Pakistan could face water shortages by 2025. .
Asking to bring about change in lifestyle and human behavior and water conservation, Ms Rehman said Pakistan is the third most water-stressed country in the world and is among the 10 countries most affected by climate change.
Presided over by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt Gen Akhtar Nawaz and Extraordinary Secretary for the Department of Climate Change Jodat Ayaz, the minister said a number of measures should be taken to reduce the impact of climate change on the country.
The situation is leading to the formation of a working group on climate change
He said the current heat waves in the country are the result of climate change, adding that despite having great ice reserves, Pakistan is at risk of water scarcity, which is alarming. He said Pakistan was exporting less than one percent of the world’s exports, but was among the worst-affected nations in the world, due to other countries.
The minister warned that in the future icebergs would be a concern, adding that the Indus, which is a tropical country as agriculture depends on the river, is facing water shortages, especially after Kotri. swamp down.
Ms Rehman called for co-operation among all stakeholders, urging people to use water wisely and avoid waste. He said his department would establish a climate communication plan to inform the public about climate change.
“Water, food security will be severely affected even if the rains help with water levels. Pakistan is one of the top 10 countries at risk of climate change. I [Climate] The Council needs to meet realistically and share with the task force to reconsider its priorities, ”he wrote on Twitter after the meeting.
In response to a question from the publisher, the minister said the government could not stop the $ 1 Billion Tree Tsunami project launched by former prime minister Imran Khan.
He said there were two such projects – Billion Tsunami Tree and 10 Billion Tree Tsunami – and added that the previous one was dealing with a wide range of questions and inquiries, including a probe by the National Accountability Bureau. The current government will take steps to make it public, he added.
The minister said of the 10 Billion Tsunami Tree, which was a joint project of government and provincial governments, the operation of the Sindh government remained significant with 63 percent success, followed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government at 56pc.
Active energy for climate change
Earlier, the chairperson of the meeting, PM Shehbaz Sharif, appointed a climate change team, led by Sherry Rehman and included the appropriate ministers, secretaries, secretaries general, the chairman of the NDMA and other institutional officials.
The task force will develop a strategy to mitigate the effects of climate change and prevent events such as glaciers. It will take steps to prevent food and water shortages and to conserve water and forests.
The PM, who had previously been told about the water issue in Cholistan, ordered that water be delivered immediately to the area.
Published Parhlo, May 17, 2022
