Climate Change Threatens Pakistan’s Food and Water Security: Romina Alam
Islamabad : Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Climate Change, Romina Khurshid Alam, highlighted the grave risks posed to Pakistan’s food and water security due to land degradation driven by climate change and compounded by India’s violations of the Indus Water Treaty. Speaking at the COMSATS High-Level Panel Discussion on UN World Environment Day, she stressed the urgent need to address these interconnected challenges under the theme of Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience.
Romina emphasized that land degradation was causing extensive damage to millions of hectares annually, leading to displacement and threatening Pakistan’s agricultural backbone. The construction of dams by India on rivers critical to Pakistan’s water supply exacerbates these issues, impacting the country’s ability to maintain its agricultural productivity. This degradation not only reduces crop yields but also drives poverty and rural-to-urban migration, highlighting the broader socio-economic implications.
She called for a holistic policy approach to combat land degradation, underscoring the necessity of pooling resources for technology and capacity building among farmers. By adopting modern technology solutions, Pakistan could improve crop resilience and mitigate the adverse effects of declining soil quality and salinization. Romina’s comments pointed to the broader need for sustainable development practices that integrate environmental and agricultural strategies.
PM coordinator urged international partners to support the Ministry of Climate Change in providing platforms for scientists to share knowledge and collaborate on climate resilience projects. She highlighted ongoing initiatives aimed at enhancing climate resilience, mitigating land and forest degradation, and improving community and biodiversity resilience, stressing that collective action and resource sharing were crucial for sustainable development and environmental stability in Pakistan.
