NEW YORK: Pakistan ambassador to United Nations Munir Akram, who also heads the UN Economic Social Council (ECOSOC), on Saturday called for action to halt deforestation, saying its protection will bring gains for both jobs and the climate.
“The world’s forests are fast retreating,” Akram warned during a virtual event held to commemorate the International Day of Forests observed on March 21.
“As the coronavirus crisis takes its toll on the most vulnerable segments of the society, and incomes and livelihoods decline,” he said.
“The dependence of millions, especially in the rural communities, on forests and forest products, like fuel-wood, will continue to grow.
We must take urgent action to stop deforestation and forest degradation and provide alternatives to rural populations dependent on wood-burning, through renewable energy installation and job creation in rural areas.”
At the same time, Ambassador Akram called for prioritising restoration of forests, saying restoring the degraded forest landscapes offers direct long-term benefits for local communities.
In Pakistan, he said, the government has embarked on an ecosystem restoration plan through the public agencies.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has launched a campaign to plant 10 billion trees over the next three years, creating employment opportunities for unskilled labour, especially women, and providing fruit and other income-enhancing products, he recalled.
In July, the government, in a move to generate jobs amid the Covid-19 pandemic while boosting conservation and curbing the impacts of climate change, announced the creation of the country’s first National Parks Service.
Under it, the country aims to get more local communities involved in running national parks and earning an income as they protect nearby conservation areas.
The project aimed to create up to 5,000 new jobs, mainly for young people who will work as park guards and custodians, and boost eco-tourism in the country, authorities said.
“This is a critical component of Pakistan’s Covid response and recovery plan,” he said.
“We need to stop thinking in silos; actions towards reforestation and climate adaptation should be incorporated into national poverty alleviation programmes.”
The UN system, he said, could help member states to plan and initiate such actions in developing integrated and holistic reforestation plans.
In this regard, the diplomat called for using modern technologies, including drones to survey and map forests, and even plant trees in remote inaccessible areas.
Akram called on world governments to invest in reforestation and other nature-based solutions.
“Forest restoration offers a cheap and efficient way for local communities to build their natural capital, improve their environment, and ultimately support peoples’ livelihoods and well-being,” he said.
“Forests offer one of the most cost-effective means for tackling climate change – as carbon sinks and as the means to regulate rainfall, absorb pollutants, safeguard watersheds, and prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases such as Covid-19.”
“It is up to all of us to mobilise the political will to transform our vision into reality,” Ambassador Akram concluded.
