Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, Romina Khurshid Alam has said that as the global community marks the World Desertification Day, Pakistan – which is facing expanding desertification and recurring but intense droughts – stands at a critical juncture in its fight against desertification and land degradation.
In her press statement issued here on Sunday, the PM’s aide said that the theme for this year’s World Desertification Day 2024, “Restoration. Land. Climate.”, resonates deeply with the present government’s commitment and on-ground efforts to fight desertification by restoring degraded lands and ecosystems, enhancing climate-resilience and achieving sustainable development goals.
“Through targeted policies, investments in research and technology and fostering international cooperation, Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to combating desertification and achieving land degradation neutrality,” Romina Khurshid said.
She highlighted that Pakistan is a signatory to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and is closely working with international partners to address desertification. Various projects and initiatives are supported by international organizations to enhance Pakistan’s capacity to combat this issue.
Spelling out factors behind the issues of expanding desertification and land degradation, the PM’s aide said that warming temperatures, shifting or declining rainfall patterns, recurring droughts, loss of vegetation and tree covers, unsustainable agricultural, irrigation practices, overgrazing, urbanisation, ranching, mining and clearing of land and heat-trapping carbon emissions from industrial, transport and fossil fuel-run energy sectors and deforestation are major causes.
