ISLAMABAD: The United States, in collaboration with the US Agency for International Development (USAID), has joined forces with the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Coca-Cola Foundation, and the World Wildlife Fund to support the Recharge Pakistan project. This initiative aims to enhance Pakistan’s resilience to climate change by improving water systems and investing in green infrastructure.
The USAID has provided $5 million in funding, while the GCF Board has recently approved an additional $66 million in grant funding to support the project. Furthermore, the Coca-Cola Foundation contributed $5 million, and the World Wildlife Fund contributed $1.8 million. This partnership, amounting to a total of $77.8 million, represents the largest-ever investment in an ecosystem-based approach to building Pakistan’s climate resilience.
Significance of Recharge Pakistan Project
The Recharge Pakistan Project is viewed as a game-changer for flood mitigation and the creation of economic opportunities in areas grappling with recurring water insecurity. It aligns seamlessly with the US-Pakistan Green Alliance framework and will help Pakistan address the adverse impacts of climate change.
Collaboration will take place between the Government of Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change, the Ministry of Water Resources’ Federal Flood Commission, and implementing partners. Their joint efforts will focus on reducing flood and drought risks in the Indus Basin, curbing emissions, promoting green policies, and strengthening the policy, legal, regulatory, and institutional framework that supports green climate efforts.
The project’s objectives extend beyond climate resilience. It aims to improve employment opportunities and foster bankable projects in the agriculture, forestry, water, and sanitation sectors. These initiatives seek to reduce the vulnerability of people and ecosystems to the impacts of climate change, especially in the aftermath of the devastating floods of 2022.
The Recharge Pakistan Project will be implemented in several districts, including Dera Ismail Khan and Ramak in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Manchar in Sindh, and Chakkar Lehri in Balochistan. It is estimated that over seven million people will benefit from the project’s interventions. This initiative exemplifies how a diverse range of partners can come together to support the US-Pakistan “Green Alliance” framework and contribute to building a more climate-resilient Pakistan.
