Climate change affecting freshwater supplies for millions of people, says official
Climate change poses a serious threat to the mountains and affects freshwater supplies downstream for millions of people, says Minhasuddin, the additional secretary provincial environment department.
He made the remarks while addressing as the chief guest a seminar held here on Sunday in connection with the International Mountain Day.
“Mountains are ecological hotspots and provide innumerable natural resources for survival of our communities,” he added.
“Millions of people, especially women, are at the forefront of facing the brunt of climate change,” the additional secretary environment said.
In order to honour the majestic mountain ranges and glaciers of northern Pakistan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) celebrated the day with ‘Women Move Mountains’ as the theme for 2022.
Held under UNDP’s GLOF-II project to acknowledge mountain women and their resilience, the event also raised awareness among school and college students about climate change and its impact.
The event brought together environmental experts, government representatives, academia, and community members to show their commitment to the efforts required to address climate change-related issues in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
It acknowledged women as custodians of local culture for playing a significant role in implementing indigenous practices and harnessing the knowledge for future generations.
On the occasion, Shahzada Iqtidarul Mulk, provincial coordinator for GLOF-II project, highlighted features of the project being carried out in eight different valleys across five KP districts. He said GLOF-II was a flagship project of UNDP.
Ms Fatima, a member of the community-based disaster risk management committee established under the GLOF-II project, acknowledged the efforts made by the project in empowering women.
She said she represented her community and was thankful to the GLOF-II project for conducting informative sessions for women.
“We play a crucial role in mountain habitats and would like to be made part of the decision-making process and have greater access to resources,” she said.
The event concluded with a mock drill conducted by the Rescue 1122 department with focus on providing first aid in case of disasters.
Speech, painting, and drawing competitions were also held and winners were awarded prizes and souvenirs.