Green practices

One of the initiatives taken by the country to protect its forests include the National Forest Policy 2015. It suggests taking measures to conserve existing forest and increase tree cover on a massive scale with community involvement. It merits a mention that the National Climate Change Policy 2012 of Pakistan supports the role of forests towards mitigating the adverse effects of extreme climate events. In addition, the government is executing the project REDD plus (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries) through the Sustainable Forest Management Programme.

Efforts are also being made to regulate flow of water in the catchment areas by increasing vegetation cover and soil conservation measures, and constructing small dams. Our country is predominantly a dry country, with about 80 percent of its area falling in semi-arid and arid regions. The changes in the water regime, due to changes in weather patterns pose additional threats in the form of droughts and resultant desertification. Therefore, all segments of society should be involved in plantation and regeneration activity across the country.

Khan Faraz

Peshawar