By Anzal Amin
ISLAMABAD: Country Representative, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN-Pakistan), Mahmood Akhtar Cheema has emphasized the urgency of adopting a collaborative approach, which was crucial amid for spiking up environmental degradation as development partners were currently working individually while combining their resources could yield sustainable Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).
He was addressing in insightful group discussion on ‘Climate Change and its Impacts on DRR’ held at the Pakistan Expo on Disaster Risk Reduction 2023 (PEDRR-23) titled “Navigating Towards Resilience: Group Discussion on Climate Change and its Impacts on DRR” organised by IUCN. The experts and enthusiasts came together to delve into the critical intersection of climate change and disaster risk reduction.
They agreed to collaborate and drive meaningful action to build a resilient future for Pakistan. In his opening remarks, the IUCN-Pakistan, Country Representative provided an overview of Pakistan’s climate situation and the significant disasters experienced, particularly in the past year.
The devastating floods caused massive destruction in two major provinces: Sindh and Baluchistan. Cheema underlined that Pakistan’s climate change gender action plan includes a dedicated section on Disaster Risk Reduction, and now was the opportune moment to unite efforts for its practical implementation. He also emphasized the introduction of biodiversity credits in Pakistan.
Dr. Ghulam Rasool, senior expert on Climate Change, delivered an extensive presentation that paved the way for an engaging group discussion. The presentation was rich in detail and comprehensive in scope enabled the participants to collectively analyse and address the challenges and opportunities associated with climate change and disaster risk reduction in Pakistan.
As the discussion commenced, it became evident that Pakistan’s geographical and climatic diversity presented a complex array of disaster risks, including floods, earthquakes, droughts, and landslides. Participants emphasized that a proactive approach was imperative, one that focused on pre-emptive measures, early warning systems, and community engagement.
It was underscored that any sustainable risk reduction strategy must stem from the grassroots level. Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, senior expert on climate change informed the participants about flood-hit districts of Balochistan which are still lacking support from the provincial disaster management authority because of lack of funding. Representing National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF), Muhammad Fawad Hayat, Head Climate Change highlighted the fact that, “Policy and frameworks needs to be implemented to build resilience.
There is an increase in number of disasters and hazards due to climate change impacts, which is affecting financial and fiscal space of countries across the globe. Strategic interventions play an important role, timely implementation of these interventions is the key, to reduce the gap of cost being incurred due to hazard and vulnerability.” In his concluding remarks, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, Coordinator General COMSTECH shed light on the way ahead, emphasizing collaboration, community engagement, technology incorporation, and policy adjustments. He underscored that disaster risk reduction transcends the obligations of governments and institutions; it’s a shared responsibility encompassing all societal sectors.
