Local adaptation plans of action vital to tackle climate change: Experts

ISLAMABAD, Sep 27 (NNI): The recent floods in the country are a manifestation of climate change which call for developing local adaptation plans of action (LAPA) for every district to analyze the impacts of climate change on the socio-economic condition of local communities, infrastructure, and governance of managing risks, and to develop mitigation strategies.
This was the crux of the panel discussion followed by the International Rescue Committee’s Local Adaptation Plan of Action (LAPA) report launch which was jointly organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and International Rescue Committee (IRC).
Mr. Muhammad Farooq, Senior Joint Secretary Ministry of Climate Change, appreciated the reports. He said, “I am from the government’s side and let me tell you that we are developing the National Adaptation Plan (NAPA) and these LAPAs will go a long way in helping us identify weak areas and informing our adaptation. As a matter of fact, we need these LAPAs for all districts.” He said that the Ministry of Climate Change will present Pakistan’s case for loss and damage and advocate for its inclusion in climate financing agenda at the COP27.
Speaking on the Occasion, International Rescue Committee’s Country Director, Ms. Shabnam Baloch said, “Climate change is not a simple issue – it is extremely complex. But when the 2010 floods hit, we did not touch any such issue. Now we are discussing climate change at this scale, which is a step ahead in the right direction. This session was enlightening, we learned so much today from the experiences and questions from the audience and participants. We need to create awareness about the climatic issues and adapt climate-smart practices at the macro as well as micro level. NNI