UNEP selects Pakistan as global 'Forestry Champion' from Asia-Pacific

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has selected Pakistan as a global ‘Forestry Champion’ from the whole Asia-Pacific region, ARY News reported on Friday.

Pakistan’s 10 Billion Trees Tsunami Plantation (TBTTP) programme has achieved a new milestone as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) acknowledged Prime Minister Imran Khan’s climate and forestry vision by selecting Pakistan as a global forestry champion.

Only three countries have been selected as the forestry champions including Pakistan from the Asia-Pacific region, Congo from Africa and Costa Rica from America. The UNEP had given initial information regarding the forestry champion title last month.

In the latest development, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) made a formal announcement for declaring Pakistan as a forestry champion besides giving an important responsibility to the Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam.

In a Twitter message, Malik Amin Aslam highlighted the strong global acknowledgement of PM Imran Khan’s climate and forestry vision of the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami Plantation project.

He said that UNEP Executive Director and UN’s Under-Secretary-General Inger Andersen has selected Pakistan as a global forestry champion from the whole Asia-Pacific region along with Congo and Costa Rica.

A strong global acknowledgment of @ImranKhanPTI #Climate and #Forestry vision of #10BillionTreeTsunami – @UNEP under @andersen_inger has selected #Pakistan as a global #ForestryChampion from the whole #AsiaPacificRegion along with #Congo (#Africa) and #CostaRica (#Americas) pic.twitter.com/QOtlbRsF5n

— Malik Amin Aslam (@aminattock) December 31, 2021

She stated in a letter to PM’s aide on climate change, she wanted to convey her gratitude for Pakistan’s willingness to be a regional champion in scaling up finance and turning the tide on deforestation.

“Building on the successful launch of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the leadership role of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan during World Environment Day, I look forward to working with you on achieving the full mitigation, adaptation and biodiversity potential of forest ecosystems by 2030.”

“Your role as a regional champion will be key in facilitating consensus among countries of the Asia-Pacific region, and beyond. Your stature and engagement will send a clear signal of ambition and commitment to concrete action,” Inger Andersen concluded.

The federal government had announced to plant ten billion trees under the ambitious project supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). In 2019, the project had achieved a milestone by planting one billion trees.