Draft National Forest Policy 2015: Pakistan

In view of Pakistan’s high vulnerability to adverse impacts of climate change, in particular to extreme events, mitigation and adaptation measures are the focus of this Policy. Tremendous role of Forestry in climate change mitigation has been overwhelmingly recognized at international level. In the 21st century, scope of Forestry has been expanded tremendously because it offers the most effective solution to the global issue of climate change, loss of biodiversity, desertification together with air and water pollution. Pakistan, as a party to international agreements and conventions, has various commitments and obligations related to forests which require national-level actions and the cooperation of all federating units. It is therefore imperative for the Federal Government to promulgate an umbrella forest policy which aims at bolstering provincial forest policies in view of the renewed mandate of Federal Government and Rules of Business of Ministry of Climate Change (as amended in 2012).