ISLAMABAD, July 19: Experts at a seminar on Friday called for an effective adaptation and planning so that the local communities can cope with adverse effects of climate change.

They were speaking at a consultative workshop on ‘Climate Resilient Economic Development in Semi-Arid Regions’ at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).

They said semi-arid regions in Pakistan are witnessing drastic environmental changes with increased rainfall and climate induced disasters. The experts maintained that not only the local communities but even the flora and fauna responded to changing climate patterns and the time had come for Pakistan to conduct region wise research work in this regard.

They said business as usual was no more an option for Pakistan.

The consultation marked the start of a project by SDPI and Oversees Development Institute (ODI)-UK to scale up climate-compatible economic development in semi-arid regions of Central Asia, East Africa and West Africa.

Speaking on the occasion, Shamsul Mulk, former Chairman Wapda said that Pakistan could not afford more damages worth $10 -15 billion as witnessed in 2010-11 floods.

“We need to expedite work on institutional capacity building of related institutions to cope with emerging challenges of climate change,” Mr Mulk said.

He said that floods in Pakistan were regular phenomenon and caused damages worth billions of rupees every year and the only way to address this problem was preparedness and structural planning.

Talking about improving capacity of public institutions, he said that in 60s, Wapda had no capacity to steer large projects, but with firm commitment it was able to bridge capacity gap within short time and completed the biggest ever water development structures of those times under Indus Water Treaty including Tarbella, Mangla and other canals.

Dr Azmat Hayat Khan, Director, Pakistan Meteorological Department presented recent climatic models and revealed that rainfall patterns in Pakistan were changing.—A Reporter