Green Growth Initiative:

To paint economy Green, the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has launched the “Green Growth Initiative”. The Task Force on Green Growth Initiative has been set up. The Task Force on Green Growth has identified six focus areas: Forestry, Protected Areas, Clean Energy, Climate Resilience, Water/Sanitation and Waste Management for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The “Green Growth Initiative” of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a flag bearer of the clean and green revolution in Pakistan. It bears promise that the Government will endeavor its best to provide a better quality of life to the citizens of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, create decent and clean job opportunities for the youth and also provide a means for social uplift and poverty eradication in the province.

It is an admitted fact that the forests are vital to achieve global sustainable development. They provide solutions for addressing many development challenges including poverty eradication, environmental sustainability, support to the livelihoods, food security and agriculture, energy, clean water and watershed protection, biodiversity conservation, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, combating desertification and land degradation, and disaster risk reduction. Hence the forests are vital for creating green economies. Thus after expert deliberations Forestry was prioritized along with two other sectors and the following targets were announced during launching ceremony of Green Growth Initiatives on February 9, 2014 at Pakistan Forest Institute, Peshawar:-

• Increase area of forests by two percent through converting 30,000 ha additional land into forests annually.
• Increase density (area of forests having canopy cover below 50%) of 7% degraded forests by closure against grazing and fire.
• Launch “Billion Tree Afforestation” campaign to involve local communities in sacred pursuit of greening Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
• Establish rules for REDD+ to assign Carbon value to forests and institute REDD+ a tool to promote conservation.

Conserve Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forests as valued natural asset.

Billion Trees Tsunami Afforestation Project

Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation Project is aimed at planning, designing, commencing and implementing “Green Growth Initiative” in the Forestry Sector of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. The project will thus, support Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Department, as a catalyst, to plan, design, and launch sustainable development in the Forestry Sector (through active involvement of local communities ) and promote green jobs. It will accordingly result in enhancement of forest resource base, rehabilitation and improvement of existing forest ecosystems of the province, arresting environmental degradation, livelihood improvement and job creation for rural youth at their door-step. The project objectives are thus positively correlated with the sector objectives both at federal and provincial levels.

Since, the project aims at improving ecosystem of classified forests, as well as privately owned waste and farm lands, the project therefore entails working in close collaboration with concerned communities/stakeholders to ensure their meaningful participation through effectuating project promotion and extension services.