A meeting was held between Federal Minister for Climate Change Zahid Hamid and World Bank delegation and discussed cooperation on Green Pakistan Program.
Federal Minister for climate Change Change Zahid Hmaid informed the delegation that New Forest Policy has been approved by Council of Common Interest and endorsed by provinces as well. We are also declaring Marine Protected areas in Pakistan.
Mr. Jiang Ru from World Bank discussed the financing option and institutional arrangements for Green Pakistan Program with the Federal Minister. He informed the Minister that mission is willing to support in financing for initiatives related to livelihood improvements under Green Pakistan Program in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa provinces initially. He also highlighted that mission would the bank can provide support for capacity building at national level through Ministry of Climate Change.A minimum loan of 100 million US dollars. Besides that the bank will also explore possibility of seeking grant from green Climate fund and Green Environment Facility. He also told the Minister that their focus would be on Forest Resilient infrastructure, landscape management and forestry &economic management. It was also suggested by the Mr. Jiang that Ministry of climate Change should provide some sort of incentives to provinces to increase their forest cover. He also told the minister that World Bank is also working on a project on watershed Management in Baluchistan.
Mr. Rizwan Mehboob Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Green Pakistan Program also briefed the Minister that when Prime Minister of Pakistan approved Green Pakistan Program, also said to discover additional funding for this project from international donor agencies. In this regard Secretary Ministry of Climate Change requested Secretary Economic Affairs Division to help in exploring financing of different components of program, especially in the areas of policy measures and capacity building. He further added that on the request of Economic Affairs Division, a scoping mission of World Bank visited Pakistan and held meetings with representatives of Punjab and Khyberpukhtoonkhawa forest departments and secretary Ministry of Climate Change.
The meeting was attended by Ms. Rahat Jabeen environmentalist Expert,Mr.Rajesh expert on REDD Plus Project, Secretary Ministry of Climate Change Syed Abu Ahmed Akif, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Climate Change Mr.Rizwan Mehboob,Director General Environment Mr. Irfan Tariq, Inspector General Forest Syed Mehmood Nasir.
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