Historic Recharge Pakistan project launched to tackle floods and build climate resilience

Posted on September, 10 2024

With a collective investment of US$77.8 million, this is the largest investment so far in Pakistan in Nature-based Solutions for climate adaptation

Since the super floods of 2010, the capacity of Pakistan’s build infrastructure to manage flood volumes has been in question. The catastrophic flooding in 2022 further reinforced the need to take action. Pakistan received more than 190 per cent of its normal rainfall in July and August leading to devastating flooding. More than one-third of the country was submerged in water and more than 33 million people were impacted.
 
Two years on, Pakistan is officially launching the historic Recharge Pakistan project to mitigate flood risks and build climate resilience of its most vulnerable communities. This event kickstarts the implementation of the project on ground, which aims to improve the resilience of some of the country’s most vulnerable communities affected by the impacts of climate change. The project is supported by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC), the Federal Flood Commission (FFC) under the Ministry of Water Resources, the Green Climate Fund, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF) and WWF.
 
With a collective investment of USD 77.8 million, this is the largest investment to date at the national level in Ecosystem-based Adaptation. The project will be implemented by WWF-Pakistan, in close collaboration with government departments and local communities at select sites in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Sindh and Balochistan provinces; and aims to address imminent and emerging environmental challenges the country faces such as super floods, widespread rains, heatwaves and droughts.
 
“Pakistan has been witnessing devastating floods, widespread rains and worsening heat waves which threaten our communities, economy and infrastructure. The government, under the leadership of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, is committed to mitigating these climate-related risks, and building resilience against the adverse effects of climate change”. This was stated by Romina Khurshid, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination during the launch of the Recharge Pakistan project at the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services, Islamabad.
 
The project will demonstrate the effectiveness of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) and green infrastructure as innovative additions to the nation’s traditional grey infrastructure solutions to flood and drought in Pakistan’s Indus river basin. Through a multifaceted approach, including the restoration and rehabilitation of water flow paths and channels and the development of recharge basins and retention areas, the project is expected to directly benefit more than 680,000 people and indirectly support more than 7 million.
 
Speaking to the audience, Adil Najam President WWF International stated “I want to congratulate everyone today as I do think this is a historic opportunity. This project is a grand experiment. It is about climate but its not just about carbon counting. It is about putting the idea of adaptation that is truly rooted in communities to test. This is about putting nature-based solutions to test at scale.”
 
Speaking at the launch, Daudi Sumba, Chief Conservation Officer WWF International stated “The scale of the climate crisis is undeniably global, and as a network, WWF was created to tackle such complex challenges. Our collaboration with Pakistan on the Recharge Pakistan project is a testament to this mission. Addressing this crisis requires a collective effort, and we are committed to scaling our resources and expertise to ensure the success of this ambitious initiative. Pakistan, being one of our largest offices, will benefit from our full support, and we aim to deliver impactful solutions that not only benefit the people of Pakistan but also advance global conservation efforts.”
 
Speaking at the launch event, Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General WWF-Pakistan said “This is a significant day, not just for us at WWF-Pakistan but for all of Pakistan. Recharge Pakistan is the need of the hour for our country, a blueprint for Climate Action. For too long, Pakistan has relied on grey infrastructure as a beacon of ‘development,’ a model that mostly ignores environmental impact. Recharge Pakistan prioritises nature-based solutions and goes beyond protection from immediate threats like floods. Through these interventions, we are aiming to reduce flood extent by 50,800 hectares and capture an estimated 20 million cubic metres of water. But more than that, we are aiming to build an evidence base to guide greater investment in ecosystem-based approaches for climate change resilience."
 
"Recharge Pakistan is a special investment for us and a moment of pride for the development community. We are excited to provide USD 5 million as part of a coalition that has successfully brought together multiple partners to help resolve a complex problem. The Coca Cola Foundation’s goal is to leave a measurable and lasting impact in communities around the world, and the USD 77.8 million ecosystem-based Recharge Pakistan project will help support transformational change for communities susceptible to the threat of floods along the Indus river", remarked Carlos Pagoaga, President, The Coca-Cola Foundation.
 
Donald Blome, US Ambassador to Pakistan, Daudi Sumba, Chief Conservation Officer WWF-International; Lucas Black, Vice President Climate Finance WWF-US; Nadeem Khalid, President WWF-Pakistan; and Stuart Orr, Global Freshwater Lead WWF-International were also present at the event.
 
The US Ambassador, Donald Blome’s statement can be accessed here: https://pk.usembassy.gov/remarks/

WWF-Pakistan CEO, Hammad Naqi Khan, speaking at the Recharge Pakistan launch
© WWF-Pakistan

Related links

WWF International President, Adil Najam, speaking by video at the Recharge Pakistan launch
© WWF-Pakistan
Launch of Recharge Pakistan in September 2024
© WWF-Pakistan