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Pakistan's adaptation efforts on changing climate get boost with Adaptation Fund
Pakistan has received a grant of US $ 3.96 million for undertaking adaptation efforts related to changing climatic situation resulting from rapid glacial melt in the Northern areas of Pakistan. During the last two decades the rate of melting of a number of glaciers in Pakistan has been among the fastest in the world ''receding at a rate of almost 40-60 meters per decade'' due to warming trends in the Hindukush Karakorum Himalayan (HKH) region.
According to data collected by UNDP and Pakistan Meteorological Department, this recession has been greater than the global average. The melting ice from these glaciers is increasing the volume of water in the glacial lakes with extreme potential to cause unprecedented flooding. Major part of the snow and ice mass of the HKH region in Pakistan is concentrated in the watersheds of the Indus basin.
Led by the Pakistan Mission to the United Nations in New York and with the assistance of UNDP, a project on Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) to undertake adaptation measures in two of the most vulnerable sites in Gilgit Baltistan Valley and Chitral was submitted to the Adaptation Fund Board. The project aimed at preparing more than 15000 people in the remote areas of the Bagrot valley in Gilgit-Baltistan and Drongagh Valley in Chitral to understand the nature and extent of GLOF risk in the area and to save lives and livelihood of the people of that area.
The project would help develop capabilities of local level institutions (Agriculture, Livestock and Forest departments of Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral) and federal level institutions (Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan) to undertake measures in warding off effects on human and economic development of these vulnerable areas and population.
Both sites are highly vulnerable to flooding related to glacial lake outbursts or glacial outbursts, which have started occurring almost every year due to ongoing global warming. These floods do not only result in damages to community infrastructure, communication networks, roads and crops, but also cause human casualties.
The project would also respond to the need for systematic integration of GLOF risk management into the processes, policies and plans of institutions including the Ministry of Environment and National Disaster Management Authority that have a stake in avoiding human and material losses from GLOF events in vulnerable areas of northern Pakistan.
Pakistan is one of the countries considered high vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. The recent devastating floods have further highlighted the need for undertaking urgent adaptation efforts in Pakistan.
The PPP led Government of Pakistan is according high priority to the development of the remote regions of Pakistan particularly Gilgit and Baltistan with a view to enabling the population to adapt to the changing climate.