Islamabad: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Sunday that it has begun efforts to lower greenhouse gas emissions in Pakistan, starting with a pilot study to improve water productivity in the districts of Sheikhupura and Okara in Punjab.
The ADB report noted that the pilot research included testing different wetting and drying techniques for land. It said the ADB was working with Pakistan to lessen the environmental impact of rice growing.
Pakistan’s agricultural sector will undergo a green revolution because of the Paris Agreement and the Global Methane Agreement. For this, the farmers had to develop different techniques to use water more efficiently. Over the past ten years, Pakistan’s rice exports have increased by 95%, totaling $3 billion.
ADB also announced the launch of a new regional program called ‘Glaciers to Farms’ on Sunday. The program aims to support food security and sustainable water use in Pakistan, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia in the face of the devastating effects of accelerated glacial melt brought on by climate change.
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The ADB would carry out risk assessments of glacier melt in Azerbaijan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan with assistance from the Green Climate Fund’s (GCF) Project Preparation Facility. These evaluations would serve as the scientific and technical foundation for the Glacier to Farms program.
The ADB said in a press release, “With temperatures in the region projected to rise by up to 6° Celsius by 2100, the loss of glacial mass threatens the fragile balance of ecosystems, jeopardising water supply for agriculture and hydropower and risking the livelihoods of more than 380 million people.”
The relevant ministers of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, along with ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa and GCF Chief Investment Officer Henry Gonzalez, signed a declaration in this respect during last week’s COP29 summit in Baku.
“As melting glaciers change waterflows, disrupt lives, and destroy ecosystems, we must act now,” Asakawa said.
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He added, “As Asia and the Pacific’s climate bank, we are pleased to be joined by key partners to launch this program to drive international collaboration and deliver results.”
According to the press release, Gonzalez said, “Recognising the profound vulnerability of mountain communities and ecosystems, this program is instrumental in safeguarding our precious water resources and empowering those most at risk.”