Australia, Pakistan to jointly work in environmental, climate resilience

• Pakistan looking forward to contribute their role through experiences in overall environmental protection and climate change.
• Pakistan welcomed the interests of Australian government and its offer to help Pakistan in environment and climate change-related sectors.

ISLAMABAD: Australian delegation Friday called on Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul and discussed various opportunities for collaboration with Pakistan in environment, climate change, forest management and water conservation and protection for boosting latter’s climate resilience against unfolding climate change-caused disasters.

The Ministry of Climate Change spokesperson Mohammad Saleem in a press release said the four-member Australian delegation to Pakistan and Australian High Commissioner Dr Geoffrey Shaw, lauded the present government’s initiatives for protection of environment, forests, wildlife and enhancing Pakistan’s resilience against negative fallouts of climate change on agriculture, forests, water, health, education and lives and livelihoods of vulnerable communities.

“We are looking forward to contribute our role through our experiences in overall environmental protection and climate change resilience through mitigation and adaptation initiatives in the country’s climate-vulnerable socioeconomic sectors,” the Australian high commissioner told the minister of state Zartaj Gul.

Zartaj Gul welcomed the interests of Australian government and its offer to help Pakistan in environment and climate change-related sectors.

“We are happy to hear that the Australian government is looking towards opportunities for collaboration and cooperation for jointly working and sharing its experiences regarding environmental conservation, water management, disaster risk management and climate resilient-agriculture,” she told media.

The Pakistani delegation, led by State Minister for Climate Change Zartaj Gul, comprised the climate change ministry Secretary Hassan Nasir Jami, Joint Secretary and Acting Inspector General (Forest) Suleman Warraich and Deputy Director Media Advocacy and Communication Mohammad Saleem.

She also apprised the Australian delegation of the present government’s various environment and climate change-related programmes.

She told the delegation members that the climate change ministry have launched the world’s largest afforestation programme, 10 Billion Tree Tsunami Programme, Clean Green Pakistan Programme, and made policies regarding sustainable building codes for Pakistan working on developing Urban resilience and water and sanitation programmes as a part of the present government’s vision and policies for conservation and protection of overall environment, protection from climate change impacts, and safeguarding peoples’ lives and livelihoods, particularly in vulnerable communities.

“However, support and collaboration at any scale between Pakistan and Australia will deepen the relations of the both countries and help boost Pakistan’s efforts for environmental conservation and protection as well as reducing the country’s disaster vulnerability,” she remarked.