ISLAMABAD, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan has been taking special measures to counter climate change-induced natural disasters to protect people and their livelihoods, an official said on Thursday.
Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, and the government is committed to translating the vision of a climate-resilient and adaptive Pakistan into a reality, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Muhammad Sami Saeed said while addressing a ceremony organized by the National Disaster Risk Management Fund.
Earlier, Saeed said Pakistan faced a number of challenges owing to climate change, including one of the most devastating floods in the country's history which left behind a trail of destruction. He added that the country has taken measures to rehabilitate the affected people.
"The country's initiatives included a comprehensive post-flood rehabilitation and reconstruction program, interventions to incentivize the farmers for transition to climate-smart water and land management practices, programs to support income generating activities and livelihood diversification and flood resilient housing and infrastructure," he noted.
The minister highlighted that the primary objective of disaster risk management efforts was to prevent new disaster risks, mitigate existing ones and strengthen resilience in extreme weather events.
"In this regard, we need to pay special attention to investing in state-of-the-art early warning systems," he said. ■
