PESHAWAR: Flash floods have swept away over 38,581 acres of forest land in Pakistan, dealing a severe blow to the ambitious “Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Initiative” launched by the outgoing PTI government.
The initiative aimed to plant 10 billion trees across the country, with a total of 9.019 billion trees planted at a cost of Rs38.40bn. The project sought to afforest the country and reduce carbon emissions while promoting biodiversity and restoring degraded land. Climate change activists believe that the devastating impact of the floods underscores the urgent need for reforestation efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change.
Under the project, 650.14 million trees were planted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 285.52 million in Punjab, 756.72 million in Sindh, 125.236 million in Balochistan, 151.38 million in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and 44.298 million in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The tribal areas have also benefited from the initiative, with claims of planting a total of 146.2 million trees. This includes 21.4 million in Khyber, 13.4 million in Bajaur, 13.7 million in Mohmand, 36.4 million in Kurram, 19.7 million in Khyber, 18.3 million in North Waziristan, and 23.2 million in South Waziristan. In addition, 14 million trees have been planted in Lower Dir, 68.4 million in Upper Dir, and 40.93 million trees and plants in Dir Kohistan.
However, the floods have resulted in the loss of 5,474 acres of forest land in KP, 1,277 acres in Punjab, 29,262 acres in Sindh, 2,565 acres in Balochistan, and 3 acres in Gilgit-Baltistan. The damage caused by the floods is a stark reminder of the fragility of Pakistan’s ecosystem, which has been adversely affected by deforestation, climate change, and other human activities.
Climate change activists said that the setback caused by the floods underscores the need for greater investment in reforestation efforts in Pakistan. They added that the government must take urgent action to protect the country’s forests and other natural resources and promote sustainable development practices that can help to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
