Pakistan cites large-scale forest restoration progress

November 20, 2025 (MLN):  Pakistan used  COP30 side event  to signal that its Upscaling Green Pakistan Programme (UGPP) has restored large areas of degraded land and expanded community-led forest protection, a development central to the country’s climate-mitigation strategy.

Speaking in a recorded message, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr. Musadik Malik said Pakistan’s recent forest growth is becoming one of its most significant tools for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, said a press release issued.

He framed large-scale forest regeneration as a practical form of carbon sequestration at a time when global negotiations remain largely focused on cutting carbon dioxide–equivalent emissions.

Malik said Pakistan’s reforestation efforts are intended to function as long-term carbon sinks while also helping rural communities adapt to intensifying heatwaves, floods, and shifting rainfall patterns.

According to the ministry, the UGPP has involved planting billions of trees across previously barren or degraded landscapes, expanding canopy cover and reviving ecosystems that support local livelihoods.

Community groups enrolled under the programme have taken on roles in monitoring, protecting, and managing forests, a shift policymakers view as essential to reducing deforestation pressures.

A ministry-produced documentary shown at the event presented field examples of restored landscapes and community-based conservation initiatives.

The session also included a panel with climate specialists, international organizations, and development partners examining how large-scale forest programmes can support global climate-resilience goals.

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