‘Pakistan tackles fallouts of climate change’

Islamabad : The plantation ratio is 63 saplings per second in ongoing campaign that is somewhat above the pace required to achieve the target of planting 3.2 billion saplings till 2023.

According to the statistics, the ratio of assisted natural regeneration has also increased considerably. It was 1,400 plants per hectare but now after introduction of certain measures it has increased up to 2,500 plants per hectare.

The environmentalists usually oppose plantation of eucalyptus plants because they consume more water and reduce level of water table. But the climate change ministry has decided to plant 10 per cent eucalyptus plants because the latest research studies show that these plants have greatly helped regenerate natural habitats due to which natural vegetation came back to surface. The government has also decided to adopt a 2-phase strategy to increase survival rate of the plants. Now it would grow plants in the nurseries in first year and then these would be planted in the forests where the government would ensure availability of water for them in next two years. Then saplings would grow in the forests without any assistance.

The research also identified the areas in Pakistan where local people are cutting branches and shaving off trees for domestic and commercial purposes.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam has said that the plantation drives would help Pakistan tackle fallouts of global warming-caused climate change on critical socio-economic sectors, particularly agriculture, water, energy and health. He said “We hope the plantation would also help protect soil from degradation, regulate water on farms and enrich biodiversity. The agro-forestry system would also result in growth of crops that would be more resilient to drought, excess rain and erratic weather patterns.