UNITED NATIONS, Mar 20 (APP): The President of UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Pakistani Ambassador Munir Akram, has called for urgent action to stop deforestation, saying forest restoration would bring gains for both livelihoods and the environment.
“The world’s forests are fast retreating,” Ambassador Akram warned during a virtual event to commemorate the International Day of Forests, observed annually on 21 March.
“As the coronavirus crisis takes its toll on the most vulnerable segments of the society, and incomes and livelihoods decline,” he said, “the dependence of millions, especially in the rural communities, on forests and forest products, like fuel-wood, will continue to grow.
“We must take urgent action to stop deforestation and forest degradation and provide alternatives to rural populations dependent on wood-burning, through renewable energy installation and job creation in rural areas.”
At the same time, the ECOSOC chief called for prioritizing restoration of forests, saying restoring the degraded forest landscapes offer direct long-term benefits for local communities.
In Pakistan, Ambassador Akram said the government has embarked on an eco-system restoration plan through its national agencies.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said, has launched a campaign to plant 10 billion trees over the next three years, creating employment opportunities for unskilled labour, especially women, and providing fruit and other income-enhancing products.
“This is a critical component of Pakistan’s COVID response and recovery plan,” he said.
“We need to stop thinking in silos; actions towards reforestation and climate adaptation should be incorporated into national poverty alleviation programmes.”
The United Nations system, Ambassador Akram said, could help member states to plan and initiate such actions in developing integrated and holistic reforestation plans.
In this regard, he called for using modern technologies, including drones to survey and map forests, and even plant trees in remote inaccessible areas.
The ECOSOC chief called on governments to invest in reforestation and other nature-based solutions.
“Forest restoration offers a cheap and efficient way for local communities to build their natural capital, improve their environment and ultimately support peoples’ livelihoods and well-being,” he said.
“Forests offer one of the most cost-effective means for tackling climate change – as carbon sinks and as the means to regulate rainfall, absorb pollutants, safeguard watersheds, and prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases such as COVID-19.
“It is up to all of us to mobilize the political will to transform our vision into reality,” Ambassador Akram added.
