ISLAMABAD: The federal government has allocated Rs9.6 billion for Climate Change Division under the Public Service Development Programme (PSDP) 2022-23.

According to a budgetary document released on Friday, an amount of Rs9.5 billion has been allocated for ongoing schemes while Rs100 million earmarked for one new scheme.

Under the budgetary allocation, Rs23 million have been allocated for ongoing schemes included capacity building on water quality monitoring and sustainable development goals 6 and reporting. An amount of Rs19 million was earmarked for climate resilient urban human settlements.

The maximum allocations were earmarked for Upscaling of Green Pakistan Programme (revised) at a cost of approximately Rs9.4 billion.

This project was particularly important as climate change had been a result of an increase in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, mostly from fossil fuel emissions.

In Pakistan, environmental degradation and climate change are adversely affecting the economy, livelihood of the poor and sustainable development.

Growing population, unplanned urban expansion and dependence on natural resources have put immense pressure on environment that triggered climate change.

Moreover, lack of public awareness regarding environmental issues and mismanagement of water and solid waste aggravated the situation.

Consequently, Pakistan continues to suffer from a plethora of natural and human induced hazards that threatened the lives and livelihood of its citizens – natural disasters including floods, earthquakes, landslides, cyclones and drought.

An amount of Rs100 million was allocated for the much-awaited Islamabad Zoo project that would be transformed into a wildlife sanctuary and animal preservation zone.

Currently, the Islamabad Zoo has been turned into an animal conservation and rescue space and is home to two black bear cubs rescued from the streets.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2022