ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Prime Minister Green Pakistan Programme (GPP) is likely to be launched in last week of the current month to plant 14.2 million trees across the country.
“The programme is being launched as a national cause and part of the present government’s efforts to protect the country and its people from devastating impacts of climate change-induced disasters, particularly floods, which have shown rise in intensity and frequency over recent years,” Deputy Director Media Climate Change Ministry Mohammad Saleem told the state-run news agency on Tuesday.
Under the programme, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will plant 75 million trees, Sindh 12 million trees, Balochistan 0.7 million trees, Azad Jammu and Kashmir three million trees, FATA 4.1 million trees, Ministry of Defence one million trees, Heavy Industry Taxila 1,000 trees, Pakistan Ordinance Factory 7,000 trees and IUCN 200,000 trees.
Giving break-up of the monsoon tree plantation target, Climate Change Ministry Deputy (Director Media and Communication) Muhammad Saleem said that as per targets set by the provincial and federal governments as well as departments, 13 million trees would be planted during the ongoing monsoon season by Punjab forest department throughout the province.
He urged the provincial forest and wildlife department to join federal government’s efforts to make the prime minister’s programme for forest regeneration successful.
He said that forests helped to boost the country’s climate change resilience against negative fallouts of the climate change.
Saleem said the country could not be able to cope with climate risks, particularly floods and torrential rains, which have become increasingly frequent due to global warming, without increasing tree cover.
“Forests hold back floodwater by nearly 72 hours and; hence, reduce intensity of the deluge water, lower chances of deaths and damages to roads, building infrastructures, bridges as well as standing crops from being washed away or wiped out,” he informed.
