• Recommend measures to avoid construction near river tracks, forests
• Look for plans for energy efficiency buildings in urban and rural areas
• The Senate panel raises concerns about invasions in river beds
Islamabad: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged Pakistan to prioritize climate adaptation measures at the federal and provincial level to develop resistance against natural disasters triggered by extreme meteorological events, including floods and droughts.
The team has recommended strict measures to avoid construction near Ríos, Nullahs, other river routes and forests, along with plans for energy efficiency buildings in urban and rural areas.
This arose on Tuesday when a technical mission of four fund members continued the discussions with federal and provincial governments to prepare for the country’s request for more than $ 1 billion in additional financing for climate resilience.
Meanwhile, the official sources confirmed that a staff of nine members of the IMF led by the head of the Nathan Porter mission would arrive in Islamabad on March 3 for a two -week review of Pakistan’s performance under the installation of extended funds of extended funds $ 7 billion (EFF). The mission is tentatively scheduled to conclude its first biannual review before March 15.
According to sources, the technical mission on climate financing under a resilience and sustainability center (RSF) emphasized the need for climate adaptation measures to be an integral part of public investment strategies, not only at the federal and provincial level, but also within state state -owned entities. He stressed that disaster risk management should focus more on preparation than on rescue and rehabilitation.
The visiting mission discussed how federal and provincial governments were making ‘green budget’ and how these two levels exchanged information and financing. The mission was informed about the disaster risk management strategy, water and air pollution, and how the green budget was being tagged, tracked and monitored.
The Government reported the mission that the new construction codes had already developed and recently shared with the provincial authorities for its implementation.
Senate panel
Simultaneously, the Senate Permanent Committee on Water Resources expressed a serious concern about the lack of details about invasions along the rivers and river routes.
During a meeting chaired by Senator Shahadat Awan, the Ministry of Water Resources revealed that Supparco data indicated that the main invasions in Punjab had not been eliminated since August 2024.
The report documented 153 invasions in the irrigation zone of Sargodha and 676 invasions in the finer irrigation zone.
A representative of the Federal Flood Commission (FFC) said that all invasions had been eliminated before August 2024, but could not provide data to corroborate the claim.
The panel directed the FFC and the Ministry of Water Resources that will coordinate with the related provinces to eliminate them within a month and provide an updated report at the next meeting, which emphasizes that such invasions finally cause loss of lives and properties.
Senator Awan warned that if these invasions were not eliminated before the monsoon spell this year, a criminal act would be considered, and all those responsible would be punished for that crime, since the Supreme Court had already ordered the elimination of invasions.
The IMF has asked Pakistan to identify infrastructure assets in critical sectors such as energy, transport, communications and health that are vulnerable to natural disasters related to climate as floods, cyclones and thermal waves. He also recommended defining specific contributions from the sector to the mitigation of climate change, together with clear adaptation objectives and investment plans.
To qualify for additional financing under the RSF, it would be required that Pakistan end the steps to incorporate climate resilience and adaptability in the sector planning processes and project preparation by incorporating climate resilience and mitigation measures in future codes of codes Construction and urban planning guidelines.
RSF financing, a relatively new window, is made available to nations that commit high quality reforms to generate resilience against climatic catastrophes through adaptation and can be paid for 30 years, including a 10 -year grace, and is normally cheaper than EFF terms. In October last year, Pakistan had formally requested the IMF to recover its $ 7 billion with another RSF of $ 1.2 billion.
The background has already advised Pakistan to invest 1 percent GDP per year, more than 1.24 billion rupees according to current estimates, in climate resilience and adaptation reforms to be ready to combat repeated and growing cycles of extreme climatic conditions , particularly floods and maintain economics. Inverse growth and inequalities.
The IMF believed that such investment in adaptive climatic infrastructure could reduce the negative impact of the growth of a natural disaster shock in a third while guaranteeing a faster and more complete recovery.
The fund pointed out that approximately 1 percent of GDP investment in adaptation infrastructure would increase the climatic resilience of Pakistan and climate climate clashes.
Posted in Dawn, February 26, 2025
