Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Mushahidullah Khan on Thursday delivered his message in connection with World Wetlands Day being celebrated today (Friday).

In his message, the minister said that the day is celebrated each year on February 2 to raise awareness about extremely valuable ecosystem that continue to be among the most threatened. Wetlands provide magnificent landscapes that attract millions of people every year. Behind the beautiful vistas and scenes, wetlands also underpin many services such as the availability of clean water, the recycling of wastes and protection from extreme weather events including disaster risk reduction.

He said that Pakistan was a signatory to the Convention on Wetlands also known as Ramsar Convention. “It is an inter-governmental treaty, which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. Under this convention so far Pakistan has designated its 19 wetlands as Ramsar sites of international significance.” He also said that wetlands were among the most diverse and productive ecosystems supporting rich biodiversity and providing valuable products and services to human beings.

The theme of World Wetlands Day 2018 is ‘Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban Future’. The UN Water estimates that 90%of all natural disasters are water-related. “Further, the worldwide frequency of disasters has more than doubled in last 35 years, driven by climate and weather related hazards like flooding and droughts. Wetlands act as natural buffer to absorb the shocks of natural disasters like devastating flooding and play its important role in risk reduction.”

In view of the devastating floods in Pakistan during the last decade, the Ministry of Climate Change, the minister said, in collaboration with Ramsar Convention had invited the Ramsar Advisory Mission (RAM) in November 2012 to suggest remedy for disaster risk reduction. “The mission after visiting the vulnerable stretches of River Indus suggested the ecological solution to flood control as experienced in case of Yangzi River, China by using wetlands. The recommendations of RAM have been included in the National Flood Protection Plan-IV.”

“Sustainable wetland management can lead to economic opportunities for millions of people through wise use and the maintenance of key socio-economic values related to wetlands.”

He added,” There are many examples of urban areas in Pakistan which are depending of wetlands.

Today we join the world community in celebration of World Wetlands Day by recognising the importance of wetlands for their role in disaster risk reduction and commit to continuing our efforts to achieve sustainability of wetlands ecosystem.”

He said that the Ministry of Climate Change was also celebrating World Wetlands along with World Wide Fund (WWF) by cleaning Rawal Dam, which is an urban wetland of Pakistan.

Published in Daily Times, February 2^nd 2018.