ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank has approved technical assistance for Sindh Coastal Resilience Sector project that will support the development of a resilient coastal region in the province.

The transaction technical assistance will help Sindh government prepare the project with a high degree of readiness. It will have two outputs: coastal resilience strategic framework with priority investments prepared; and project prepared with enhanced readiness.

The project will focus on Thatta, Sujawal and Badin districts since conditions in these coastal area districts have been degraded by a confluence of environmental factors, resulting in land subsidence, flooding, erosion, and saline intrusion.

These are now expected to be exacerbated further by climate change. Poverty rates are high, education and literacy rates are low, and there is poor access to services and basic amenities. There is a lack of integrated approaches to risk mitigation incorporating nature-based solutions, ADB says.

The technical assistance of $2 million has been provided by the Japan Fund for Prosperous Resilient Asia and the Pacific, and its operational priorities will be accelerating progress in gender equality; tackling climate change, building climate and disaster resilience, and enhancing environmental sustainability; and promoting rural development and food security.

According to the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) of the ministry of climate change, Pakistan’s coastal ecosystems face an array of climate-related hazards, including tropical cyclones, severe storms, floods, and shoreline erosion. These threats not only threaten lives but also cause extensive damage to property and infrastructure.

The NAP document says the projected sea level rise and increased storm intensity in Pakistan could lead to the erosion of beaches, devastating flooding, and the inundation of vital wetlands and low-lying areas.

Moreover, there is a growing risk of seawater infiltrating both groundwater and surface waters, leading to salinisation and compromising freshwater resources.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2023