Pakistan has secured $10 million, from the Adaptation Fund Board, in climate finance for nature-based solutions, focusing on empowering women and youth in the Indus River Basin.
The funding will support the “Sustainable Actions for Ecosystem Restoration in Pakistan” (SAFER) project. The initiative is led by Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MOCCEC) and implemented in partnership with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), a regional body dedicated to sustainable mountain development.
Romina Khurshid Alam, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, said, “This initiative aligns perfectly with the Pakistan government’s priority to address climate challenges and strengthen resilience in the face of increasing climate-related disasters.”
Addressing climate vulnerability in Indus River basin
With 90% of Pakistan’s population and over three-quarters of its economy reliant on the Indus Basin, the region is highly vulnerable to climate change. Changes in the river’s flow pose significant risks to the country’s economic stability and ecological health, threatening years of progress in poverty alleviation and inclusive development.
The SAFER project aims to tackle these risks through integrated water resource management, with a special focus on nature-based solutions (NbS). The project prioritizes interventions that benefit women, youth, and children, groups disproportionately affected by climate-related crises.
Climate adaptation strategies under SAFER project
The SAFER project will implement a variety of climate adaptation strategies in Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh over the next three and a half years. These include:
- Establishing community-based early warning systems in high-risk areas
- Setting up nature-based spring-water and ground-water recharge systems in water-stressed communities
- Building climate-resilient water infrastructure
- Developing wetlands and wastewater treatment facilities using ecosystem-based approaches
- Rehabilitating water ponds to reduce surface water waste
- Offering capacity-building programs to enable women and youth to participate in climate adaptation and disaster resilience efforts.
These interventions will align with Pakistan’s National Adaptation Plan and the Living Indus Initiative, both of which emphasize nature-based and ecosystem-based solutions to protect and restore the region’s ecosystems.
The SAFER project benefits from the expertise of international partners, including UNICEF and UN Women, focusing on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sectors. The collaboration will help strengthen community resilience in the face of climate-induced crises, particularly benefiting marginalized populations.