Pakistan has so far designated 19 wetlands across the country as Ramsar sites for being a signatory to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance while the government is taking all possible measures to conserve the wetlands to mitigate adverse impacts of climate change.
Ministry of Climate Change said this in a statement on Friday, adding that Pakistan's wetland includes lakes, rivers, deltas, estuaries, swamps, peat lands, coral reefs mangroves and other coastal areas. "These are among the most diverse and productive ecosystem supporting rich biodiversity and providing valuable products and services to human beings," it said. Each year February 2 is celebrated as Wetland Day to mark the date of adoption of Ramsar Convention on this day in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran.
Theme of World Wetland Day 2019 is "Wetland and Climate Change," as due to human activities, global climate is changing faster than any previous century. As a result, temperatures are rising, oceans are warming, glaciers are melting and sea levels are rising.
The frequency of disasters worldwide has more than doubled in just 35 years and 90 percent of these disasters are water related. Extreme weather events are predicted to be on the rise. Wetland plays a significant role in mitigating impact of climate change.
Wetland acts as carbon sink, which is one of the major contributors of global warming and a natural buffer to absorb the shock of natural disasters and protect the communities. The Ministry of Climate Change is working to harmonise the potential of floods for groundwater recharge, pollution control and poverty alleviation. In this connection, Recharge Pakistan Project is being considered for implementation. Besides, plantation and regeneration of forest cover in mangroves zones and other appropriate areas near wetlands is planned, the ministry added.
Meanwhile, a sub-committee of Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change discussed environmental issues pertaining to the Islamabad Capital Territory.
The meeting of the committee was held under the convenership of Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed. The meeting was called to formulate a work plan for the next two months. Suggestions from parliamentarians, experts and media persons covering the meeting were welcomed.
Emphasis was placed on running awareness campaigns on national television with a special focus on mobilising students, garbage collection and disposal, making Islamabad a plastic free zone, cleaning up of nullahs and manholes, and establishment of an abattoir.
The committee recommended that the next meeting should be held on February 12, 2019 and that government agencies such as Capital Development Authority (CDA), Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI), Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICT), Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) be summoned.
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