Need To Streamline National REDD+ Programme Awareness

IUCN In Collab With Ministry Of Climate Change Organized A Workshop For Preparation Of REDD+ Communications Plan In Islamabad.

Need To Streamline National REDD+ Programme Awareness

The event was attended by a large number of government officials, members of the civil society, environmental experts and media. Ms. Naheed Shah Durrani, Secretary, Ministry of Climate Change, and National Project Director REDD+ programme, graced the occasion as Chief Guest.  The IUCN Pakistan has been assigned the task to undertake awareness raising, communication and capacity building activities.

In her keynote speech Ms. Naheed Shah Durrani said thatthe Ministry of Climate Change through the National REDD+ Office is implementing the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) Project with the financial support of the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) of the World Bank. Under the project, IUCN has been assigned to undertake ‘REDD+ Awareness and Outreach’ initiative.She further said that Pakistan is committed to the global goal to mitigate climate change. Pakistan’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) state that Pakistan intends to reduce up to 20% of its 2030 projected GHG emissions subject to availability of international financial support.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Mahmood Akhtar Cheema, IUCN Pakistan Country Representative said that Pakistan faces a number of challenges related to the degradation of the environment, depleting water resources, improper urbanization, air pollution, and above all, climate change, which is affecting not only the country’s economy, but also the health and well-being of its population. Through REDD+, there is a focus on streamlining communications plan for the REDD+ programme in Pakistan, for which IUCN is working closely with the Ministry of Climate Change.

Syed Ghulam Qadir Shah National Coordinator REDD+ said that during the preparation of National REDD+ Strategy, a comprehensive consultation process was designed which included communities, government departments at the federal and provincial level, civil society organizations, academia, forest owners, mining and agriculture sector, market players among others.

He further said that the National REDD+’s Strategy needs to be popularized among stakeholders at all levels through a communications and engagement process. This communications and engagement strategy in line with the National REDD+’s Strategy draws some strategic options to make the stakeholders aware of the REDD+ programme in Pakistan and the communities can benefit from it in the near future.

While presenting the overview of the project, Mr. Danish Rashdi, Team Leader IUCN-REDD+ Project said that IUCN’s team will be initiating a consultative process to streamline REDD+ communications and outreach activities across Pakistan and at provincial levels. He underscored the need to do so, saying the REDD+ programme currently needed robust communications strategy which will help stakeholder understand not only climate change mitigation but also the concepts of carbon trading, which will benefit forest communities and the private sector both.