Ministry to help provinces in protecting biological diversity

Islamabad:    The climate change ministry would help provinces to take effective measures in line with the National Climate Change Policy to conserve, restore and protect the biological diversity in the country.

An official said the climate change is likely to impact on the phenology and species distribution along with community composition and ecosystem dynamics that would adversely affect the biological diversity.

He said the provinces would be encouraged to conduct empirical research on flora and fauna in the context of their responses to current and historical climatic changes besides setting national biodiversity indicators and providing the requisite financial resources for implementation of the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP).

The official said efforts are under way to establish gene banks, seed banks, zoos and botanical gardens to conserve the biological diversity of valuable species; and integrate conservation and protection of biological diversity into various disciplines such as forestry and marine and pastures.

“The provincial governments are also pursuing the agenda of encouraging involvement of local communities in conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and taking necessary measures to establish nature reserves in areas that are rich in biodiversity.