UK plans £13m investment to tackle climate change

Islamabad : The United Kingdom has planned to invest £13 million in Pakistan this year to help tackle climate change.

“This investment will include supporting vulnerable communities to adapt to climate change and improve resilience through emergency disaster planning, and helping increase the use of renewable energy,” British High Commissioner Dr Christian Turner said during a visit to Chitral, Hunza and Gilgit.

The envoy said it was his first visit to the northern parts of Pakistan and he was blown away by the region's natural beauty.

He, however, said the potential for sustainable tourism and its communities were at risk from climate change.

“As part of our preparations for hosting the 2021 COP26 climate negotiations, the UK will do more to help vulnerable communities in Pakistan deal with the impact of climate change and protect these magnificent landscapes. Our world is our responsibility,” he said. Dr Christian Turner stressed the need for sustainable tourism in northern Pakistan to create jobs and support local communities. He said he saw the impacts of climate change on local communities.

“Pakistan is the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change and has more glacial ice than any country in the world outside the Polar Regions, since 2015, the number of lakes caused by melting glaciers in Pakistan has increased from 30 to 150,” he said. The envoy said the visit also focused on the girl’s education and support for gender equality.

“The UK is committed to ensuring every girl gets 12 years of quality education, and has supported nearly eight million girls in Pakistan to attend primary and secondary school,” he said.