ISLAMABAD:Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam has said the incumbent government is committed to work with global community to tackle adverse fallouts of the global warming on lives and livelihoods of the people.
Addressing the launching ceremony of Pakistan-Korea Friendship Forest Initiative (Phase-II) held here on Thursday at the Korean Embassy, Malik Amin Aslam hailed the participation of China and Korea in Pakistan’s historically largest afforestation programme of the Prime Minister Imran Khan. Korean Ambassador to Pakistan Suh Sangpyo pledged to work closely for boosting PM Imran Khan’s green initiatives, particularly the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme (TBTTP) for boosting the country’s climate resilience.
The Korean ambassador told the participants of the event that under the Pakistan-Korea Friendship Forest Initiative (Phase-II), 10,000 saplings of different fruit and non-fruit species would be planted in different parts of the country to improve the environment and strengthen livelihoods of the local communities.
He recalled that the Korean government had already planted 6,000 saplings of different varieties in support to PM Imran Khan’s TBTTP, which has gained a global recognition and appreciation. “The Korean government looks at the largest afforestation programme of the Pakistani government as an opportunity to help improve the country’s overall environmental conditions and enhance resilience against unfolding deleterious impacts of climate change on various socio-economic sectors,” the Korean Ambassador told Malik Amin Aslam during a meeting on the sidelines of the event.
He also assured the Korean government’s all-out support to help build up capacity of the country’s various sectors to cope with negative impacts of the climate change through transfer of technical know-how, technology related to, among others, water, energy, agriculture and forestry sectors.
The SAPM thanked the Korean ambassador for gifting 10,000 saplings, reflecting Korean government’s recognition of the PM Imran Khan’s Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme and support to his vision for clean green Pakistan.
Later, the SAPM and Korean Ambassador kicked off the plantation by planting a pine tree sapling at the Embassy of Korea and exchanged views on the green vision of both the governments, which aims at sustainable socio-economic growth, climate resilience, environmental conservation and protection.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Chinese government also gifted 7,000 saplings for plantation along different national highways/motorways to help fight surging vehicular and non-vehicular air pollution and environmental degradation.