Recharge Pakistan: GCF Grants US$77.8 Mln To Accelerate Climate Resilience

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Jul, 2023 ) :Federal Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC) on Tuesday announce the approval of the Recharge Pakistan project.

This transformative initiative, spanning over the next 7 years, has received funding of a total US$77.8 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

Out of this amount, the GCF has allocated US$ 66 million, while the co-financing by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the private sector totaling US$11.8 million.

These collective contributions represent a strong commitment towards building a sustainable and resilient Pakistan, a news release said.

Minister for Climate Change & Environmental Coordination, Senator Sherry Rehman said that the Recharge Pakistan project would play a vital role in fortifying Pakistan's resilience against the accelerated impacts of climate change, particularly in regions severely affected by the devastating 2022 mega floods.

"We extend our gratitude to the WWF for their invaluable support in the development of this project. As the GCF's focal ministry, the MoCC&EC has worked tirelessly in transforming the GCF funding from a loan to a grant and securing the project's approval from the GCF board.

In the aftermath of the devastating 2022 mega floods, we recognized the pressing need for grant-based climate financing in Pakistan. We appreciate that the GCF accepted our recommendation.

The rigorous design and implementation of the project involved extensive consultations with all the provinces spanning several months. As we move forward, the responsibility for implementation rests with them as our executing partners," the minister said.

He stressed that the project aimed to reduce flood risk and enhance water recharge in the targeted catchments within the Indus Basin, thereby bolstering the resilience of approximately 7.

5 million individuals and safeguarding vulnerable ecosystems by 2030.

The project aims to restore 14,215 hectares of forests and riverine buffer zones, finance the development of 127 green infrastructures, and directly benefit more than 680,000 people.

The minister said that the MoCC&EC had and would assume a leading role in spearheading the project's execution.

Recharge Pakistan stands as a pivotal initiative aligned with the MoCC&EC's other flagship project, the Living Indus Initiative.

This project aims to harness natural systems in bolstering Pakistan's resilience against climate change, specifically by mitigating the risks of floods and droughts within the Indus Basin.

The project's core objective is to enhance Pakistan's resilience through the implementation of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) and Green Infrastructure for integrated flood risk management.

The project activities will primarily focus on four key locations within the Indus Basin: DI Khan Watershed, Ramak Watershed, Chakar Lehri, and Manchar Watershed.

The project's interventions will serve as a lifeline for the ailing Indus Basin and usher in improved community-led management.

This, in turn, will reduce flood risks and enhance the climate resilience of the most vulnerable populations within Pakistan's Indus Basin.

Furthermore, the project will enhance the resilience of community livelihoods in the Indus Basin by providing training to communities and smallholder farmers on how to adapt their existing agricultural practices to better withstand the present and future challenges posed by climate change.