A senior government official has declared that protecting Pakistan’s forests is now a ‘national security imperative’ and an ‘economic necessity’ to combat escalating climate shocks, as the country grapples with mounting vulnerability to floods, droughts, and ecological decline.
The stark warning came from Muhammad Saleem Sheikh, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, who on Friday reaffirmed that forests must be viewed as strategic pillars of economic growth and community well-being, not merely as environmental assets.
Speaking ahead of the International Day of Forests, observed globally on March 21, the ministry official noted that this year’s theme, ‘Forests and economies,’ rightly highlights how these ecosystems underpin livelihoods, drive economic activity, and safeguard natural resources.
The day, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, seeks to raise awareness about the importance of all forest types. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), forests sustain over 1.6 billion people worldwide and provide essential renewable materials.
Mr Shaikh emphasised that the present government fully recognises the unprecedented importance of forests, which he described as the ‘lungs of the Earth’ and a critical national asset for a country facing severe climate pressures.
‘At a time when countries are seeking low-carbon, sustainable pathways to growth, forests must be recognised as productive national assets,’ the spokesperson stated. ‘They not only protect watersheds and absorb carbon, but also sustain rural livelihoods, reduce disaster risks, and anchor climate resilience.’
He argued that forests should no longer be considered only as sources of timber, pointing to their multifaceted role. ‘Healthy forests support agriculture, secure water resources, create green jobs, provide food and medicine, and open pathways for nature-based enterprise, ecotourism, and carbon-linked investment,’ he said.
‘If we undervalue forests in economic planning, we pay a far higher price through floods, erosion, heat stress, and ecological decline,’ Mr Shaikh added.
Quoting a UN FAO study, he noted that the global economic value of non-wood forest products exceeds USD 9 billion annually, underscoring their immense potential to support sustainable bioeconomies and help communities adapt to economic shocks.
This broader understanding, he said, is already reflected in Pakistan’s National Climate Change Policy 2021, which places forests at the centre of the nation’s mitigation and adaptation strategies through ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation, and community development.
The policy calls for stronger governance, curbing illegal logging, restoring degraded lands, and promoting farm forestry. It also advocates for the use of climate finance tools such as the UN’s Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) framework and other carbon market mechanisms.
‘Pakistan’s climate policy is clear: forests are among our strongest natural defences against climate breakdown,’ Shaikh asserted.
This vision is further cemented in Pakistan’s latest climate commitment under the Paris Agreement, the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 3.0, which was submitted to the UNFCCC in September 2025. The document positions forests within a national strategy emphasising nature-based solutions and sustainable land management.
This builds upon the updated 2021 NDC, which set a target to increase Pakistan’s forest cover from 5.4 per cent to 6.5 per cent by 2030, marking a strategic shift towards recognising forests as multifunctional climate assets.
Mr Shaikh urged for the international day to serve as a moment of ‘national reflection and renewed commitment,’ observing that forests remain chronically undervalued and underfinanced despite their critical role.
‘The real measure of commitment would not be ceremonial statements but long-term protection and enforcement,’ he stressed. ‘Investing in forests is investing in safer communities, stronger livelihoods, healthier ecosystems, and a more secure national future.’