‘WE Call 2 Coastal Climate Action 2021’ virtual meeting was held today. Attended by Chief Secretary Sindh, DG ICIMOD, Country Representative IUCN, DG WWF-Pakistan, Sindh Coastal and Climate Secretary, FPCCI President representative and Chairman Water Environment Forum Pakistan were amongst the several speakers.
Nisar A Memon, Chairman Water Environment Forum, Pakistan opened the meeting and said, “Your organizations are engaged in various programs to save the ecosystem and its disastrous effects. However, due to enormity of challenge we are here to consider combining the forces to cooperate and collaborate by sharing ideas, experiences, resources, research and programs for greater awareness leading to science based policy plans.”
Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah, said that Sindh has been adopting global, regional and national initiatives towards ameliorating the condition of coastal inhabitants severely affected by cyclones, floods, droughts, sea level and temperature rise. Coastal area of Sindh, is one of the poorest of the poor where we as a government need to focus and therefore, we are open for the public and private partnership on water and environment.
Dr Pema Gyamtsho, opined that Indus upstream and downstream are inseparable and ICIMOD will work with Water Environment Forum, and others including Sindh and Federal government for studies of the effects of climate change on the Indus delta and adaptation strategies. Emphasizing importance of collaborative work towards the lower Indus Delta he said such programs would help us better understand the upstream downstream connections, and the dynamics that would lead to formulation of a strong plan and its implementation.
Mr. Mahmood Cheema, recalled millions of mangroves plantations on the coast and would look forward to working with all to implement knowledge products in the coastal areas. He elaborated the international role of IUCN and extensive work in Pakistan and assured of any support required to work together on available platforms.
Mr. Hammad Naqi Khan said that WWF being a leading environmental organization would like to welcome all to work together on work already done extensively. He said that Indus is the sixth largest Delta and important globally due to its rich biodiversity. He shared programs WWF is offering to industry and would encourage FPCCI to avail them .
Mr. Waseem Vohra speaking from Federation House shared the challenges to industry in getting only 2% of their water requirement that too very expensive. He shared details of environmental challenges needed to be addressed and appreciated the opportunity to meet all towards solution implementation.
There was a unanimity of views that there should be cooperation between public and private, science and academia, policy and practitioners, rural and urban, industry and agriculture, INGOs and NGOs who are all stakeholders to combat coastal climate challenges.
It was also agreed to share information about programs and plans to avoid any duplication of efforts and resources, instead all will work in unison for implementation of programs and project to strengthen the implementation in a collaborative way forward.
The meeting ended with appreciation of Water Environment Forum co-hosting the meeting with others on an important subject.