ISLAMABAD: The European Union has shown interest in joining the government’s post Covid-19 green recovery, through investment and capacity-building.

“We are looking forward to contributing, based on our experiences in post Covid-19 green recovery, through enhanced investment in green sectors including forestry, environmental protection and climate change resilience by focusing on mitigation and adaptation initiatives in the country’s climate-vulnerable socio-economic sectors,” EU Minister and Deputy Head of Mission Delegation of the EU to Pakistan Anne Marchal told Adviser to the PM on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam.

The two sides met to discuss matters of bilateral collaboration and explore opportunities in the fields of green economic recovery through investment and job creation, environmental sustainability, fore­­st management, air pollution, water conservation and protection for boosting the country’s resilience against climate change.

Mr Aslam appreciated the EU for offering to join the government’s initiatives that have been launched in the past two years, for environmental conservation, protection and Pakistan’s resilience to climate change.

“We are happy to hear that the EU is looking towards opportunities for collaboration and sharing its experiences, regarding environmental conservation, water management, disaster risk management and climate resilient-agriculture,” he said.

Sharing details of the government’s initiatives, he said: “The climate change ministry has launched various flagship programmes and projects including the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami Programme, Clean Green Pakistan Programme, Protected Areas initiative, Plastic-Free Pakistan initiative, Recharge Pakistan Initiative as a part of the country’s efforts to achieve environmental sustainability and climate resilience through conservation and protection of environment, forests and wildlife, wherein community and youth engagements are being prioritised.

However, we welcome any support and collaboration at any scale between Pakistan and the EU countries. It will help deepen bilateral relations and boost Pakistan’s efforts towards environmental conservation and protection as well as reducing the country’s disaster vulnerability.”

“A novel Protected Areas initiative, approved last month by Prime Minister Imran Khan, has been launched under Green Pakistan. It aims to increase the cover of protected areas in the country from 13pc to 15pc by 2023 and create 5,000 green jobs across the country, that are crucial in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic while also protecting natural resources of the country.

“The PM also approved the Green Stimulus package in April this year, as part of the government’s efforts to extend green cover in the county. Over 86,000 green jobs have been created for daily-wagers, rendered jobless because of the pandemic,” he informed Ms Marchal.

He also highlighted an agreement, in which the World Bank will provide $188 million to Pakistan, to address environmental degradation, deforestation and climate change-caused disaster risks in the country.

“The ongoing catastrophe is painfully reminding people that collectively we must respect the natural limits and boundaries of coexistence with other species. Nature, while reclaiming lost space, seems to bere-balancingour relationship with it; given the background, protected areas remain one of the prime nature-based tools for actualising thisby providing a safe haven for nature to flourish, valuable biodiversity to survive and for life to sustain itself.

“Protected areas also create a payback mechanism by creating spaces for human recreation, promoting ecotourism, generating green jobs, enhancing resilience to natural disasters, contributing to food and water security through ecosystem restoration and addressing issues such as climate change by sequestering carbon,” he added.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2020