Green Climate Fund (GCF) approved a funding of $66 million for WWF-Pakistan’s flagship project, ‘Recharge Pakistan: Building Pakistan’s Resilience to Climate Change through Ecosystem-Based Adaptation for Integrated Flood Risk Management,’ which provided the project with a significant boost.
The 7-year project represents the largest national-level investment to date in an ecosystem-based approach to flood and water resources management. It is a collaborative effort between the Government of Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC), the Federal Flood Commission (FFC) under the Ministry of Water Resources, and WWF-Pakistan.
The project will showcase the effectiveness of ecosystem-based adaptation and green infrastructure as innovative solutions alongside traditional grey infrastructure approaches.
Strategies such as reforestation, restoration of wetlands, rehabilitation of water flow paths and channels, and the development of recharge basins and retention areas will be implemented. Moreover, the project will enhance the climate resilience of local businesses in the agriculture and forest sectors.
One vital step closer to building climate resilience
Dr. Adil Najam, President of WWF International, emphasized the importance of initiatives like Recharge Pakistan in rehabilitating Pakistan’s lifeline, the Indus Basin.
“Through ecosystem-based adaptation and nature-based solutions, this collaboration will help restore the basin’s health, enhance resilience, and safeguard the most vulnerable communities.” He said, “Today, we are one vital step closer to building climate resilience, protecting biodiversity, and securing a sustainable future for Pakistan.”
Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General of WWF-Pakistan, stressed the significance of focusing on green infrastructure and ecosystem-based adaptation in a country like Pakistan, where climate change impacts are becoming increasingly severe and frequent, exacerbating the economic crisis. He expressed gratitude to the GCF for their trust and acknowledged Minister Sherry Rehman for her support in securing the critical funding.
“I am confident that in collaboration with our capable partners, we will deliver the impact expected from this critical and far-reaching undertaking,” he stated.
Senator Sherry Rehman of the Ministry of Climate Change thanked the GCF for converting the funding from a loan to a grant, aligning with Pakistan’s vision of receiving grant-based climate financing.
“Rigorous design implementation involved months of consultations with all the provinces. After this stage, implementation now lies with them as the executing partners.”
Other Contributors
In addition to the GCF funding, the project receives support from The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), The Coca-Cola Foundation, and WWF-Pakistan, who collectively invest $12 million and provide technical assistance. These combined efforts will directly benefit over 600,000 individuals and indirectly benefit nearly 7,000,000 people across Pakistan.