Fozia Azam

Pakistan needs concerted efforts to improve the conditions of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in the country. The assessment was made in a study titled, “Climate Financing for WASH Pakistan Scoping Brief,” launched during a panel discussion arranged by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and International Rescue Committee (IRC). IRC Country Director, Shabnam Baloch said in her opening remarks that WASH should be included in every national adaptation plan for climate change.

She stressed on the need to provide resources to local civil society organisations (CSOs), their training, and also on the streamlining of the process of green finance. Head, Sustainability and Resilience Program, SDPI, Dr Shafqat Munir said that green finance for WASH was one of the key problems facing Pakistan in climate change. He said that the study provides an overview of the issue and outlines recommendations for its resolution, adding that only 22% of the total funds were being allocated to WASH issues which is peanuts as compared to the requirement.

He added, “three main impediments to the issue of climate finance were lack of wash specific funds, stringent donor requirements and a caveat for detailed proposals.” He urged the CSOs to develop their own capacity for WASH projects instead of relying on outside donors. Country Director, WaterAid, Arif Jabbar raised the issue of absorption capacity and said that green finance should give priority to WASH projects.

He stressed on the need for a coordinated effort for WASH projects and said that an evidence-based approach would have a greater impact in mitigating the risks of climate change. He proposed to come out of the donor mindset as there were many other private-sector green financing facilities. WASH Expert, Niazullah Khan said that there was a need of a unified authority and legislation to coordinate with provinces on WASH, adding that water security was a major issue but water management was more critical. 

Consultant World Bank, Dr Ali Tauqeer Sheikh said that despite much uproar, Pakistan had no adaptation plan and the country lacked accreditation for green climate fund. He said, “public departments in the country never tried to understand green climate funding because it has become competitive. We have outsourced thinking and have not managed to get more than USD 5 million from REDD+.” He added, “we need to revisit our development paradigm to make it poor-centric.”

Scientific Model and Data Manager, Climate Analytics, Dr Fahad Saeed said that climate change was an existential challenge for humanity in the 21st century. He said, “there is an urgent need to coordinate with universities and think tanks. Climate change is real and we must accept it as a new normal. Our public departments need to take the lead in devising credible long-term policy.”

Member DRR, NDMA, Idris Mehsud, said that there was no database of research on climate change to be presented at high forums. He added, “there is no credible risk knowledge and NDMA has asked its partners to help it develop one. We also need to set out our WASH needs in terms of approaching climate finance.”

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk