Training Workshop on Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation, and Social Accountability to Enhance Citizens and Civil Society Participation in Climate Governance
Venue: District Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Date: Wednesday, January 08, 2025

Transparency International Pakistan in collaboration with Safar Welfare Organization, organized a Training Workshop on Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation, and Social Accountability to Enhance Citizens and Civil Society Participation in Climate Governance on Wednesday, January 08, 2025 in District Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Around 41 people, 22 women and 19 men, including members from civil society, social workers, teachers, students and journalists attended the event. The local administration was represented by District Monitoring Officer, RTS commission, Veterinary Officer, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Livestock Department, Community Development Officer, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Department and Assistant Director, Local Government Department, KP.

The main objective of the training workshop was to enhance the capacity of citizens and civil society to actively engage in climate governance. The workshop aimed to raise awareness on climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation strategies, and social accountability tools such as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act, 2013. It sought to empower participants to hold stakeholders accountable, contribute to the effective implementation of climate policies, and promote community-based resilience to address climate-induced challenges at the local level.

The event formally started with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by a round of introduction. Ms. Nasim Riaz, Executive Director of Safar Welfare Organization, welcomed the participants and highlighted Peshawar’s climate vulnerability. She emphasized the district’s susceptibility to climate-induced disasters such as floods, droughts, and extreme weather events. She highlighted that Peshawar needs to adapt to both pronounced rainfall and hydrological droughts, with signs of drought already visible, while intense rainfall and flooding have caused significant damage in recent years.

She further highlighted that in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), climate hazards such as glacier melting, floods, droughts, and landslides pose serious threats to communities, particularly in vulnerable areas, which disrupt their livelihoods, agriculture, and infrastructure. These impacts are further exacerbated by rising temperatures and increased precipitation, underscoring the urgent need for effective risk reduction, mitigation, and adaptation strategies.

Next, Ms. Nasreen Memon, Project Coordinator, TI Pakistan, described the basics of climate change and its consequences. She highlighted the consequences of climate change, such as rising temperatures, melting glaciers, sea-level rise, increased frequency and intensity of natural disasters, and its adverse effects on agriculture, water resources, and livelihoods in KP. Ms. Memon pointed out the significant impact of climate change, referencing the 2022 floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which caused an estimated loss of 121 billion PKR to public infrastructure across various sectors, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) KP. To address such challenges, she emphasized the importance of both mitigation and adaptation strategies. One key initiative discussed was the Billion Tree Tsunami project, which has successfully reforested 350,000 hectares in the region, according to the Climate Change, Forestry, Environment & Wildlife Department KP.

Moreover, Ms. Memon underscored the need for community-based flood preparedness measures, urging participants to adopt these strategies to enhance climate resilience. She highlighted that, to support recovery and resilience building after 2022 floods, the PDMA has estimated a requirement of 205,601 million PKR for rehabilitation efforts across the .

She mentioned that the KP Climate Change Policy ensures community engagement with the PDMA and DDMAs through active participation in community-based disaster preparedness and awareness programs to enhance resilience, as well as through collaboration with local government bodies and disaster management authorities in hazard mapping, risk assessments, and the development of evacuation and emergency response plans.

Moving on, Ms. Fariha Fatima, Assistant Project Coordinator, TI Pakistan provided an overview of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Climate Change Policy 2022, aiming to enhance participants’ understanding of its key provisions. She highlighted that The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Climate Change Policy 2022 emphasizes community participation in various areas. Section 7 (Capacity Building) highlights institutional development through community engagement to ensure policy implementation and awareness. Policy measures such as participatory disaster response systems and inclusion in local adaptation plans are also included. However, the policy has gaps, including limited mechanisms for grassroots-level participation and gender inclusivity.

Ms. Fariha mentioned that the implementation framework of policy includes establishing a Provincial Climate Change Policy Implementation Committee (PCCPIC), with roles for community representatives to support decision-making. Communities can leverage these frameworks through active engagement by participating in community-based monitoring systems, multi-stakeholder forums, participatory planning for local adaptation plans and public consultations.

Next, a Community Resilience Building Exercise was conducted, during which participants were divided into groups and tasked with identifying vulnerabilities in three key areas: infrastructure, environment, and social aspects.

Group 1 & 2 assigned to infrastructural vulnerabilities highlighted issues such as poor sewage systems, deforestation and unplanned construction of houses and commercial buildings. These exacerbate urban flooding, contribute to habitat destruction, and increase greenhouse gas emissions due to unregulated urban sprawl.

Group 3 & 4 emphasized environmental vulnerabilities, including changing weather patterns driven by climate change, water pollution from untreated waste, severe air pollution in Peshawar, widespread use of single-use plastics adding to land and water degradation, and deforestation leading to loss of carbon sinks and increased vulnerability to extreme weather events.

Groups 5 and 6 focused on societal vulnerabilities, such as a lack of awareness, poor coordination between government departments, and insufficient implementation of environmental laws. These gaps hinder effective climate adaptation, enforcement of regulations, and community resilience to climate-induced environmental challenges.

Afterwards, Mr. Ahsan Ullah, Community Development Officer, KP Department of Climate Change, Forestry, Environment, and Wildlife, discussed the department’s proactive measures to address climate challenges in KP. He highlighted that the department is undertaking extensive plantation efforts across the region, while a Green Wall initiative around Peshawar is also being implemented. This is part of the larger Billion Tree Tsunami Plus project, aimed at combating climate change and enhancing environmental sustainability in the province. He informed that the Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation Project was initially budgeted at 22 billion PKR but was completed under budget at 12 billion PKR.

He said that under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest (Amendment) Act, 2022, deforestation is prohibited in the province and those violating the provisions of this act may be liable to punishment. He said that the legislation underscores the provincial commitment to preserve the forest of the province and the natural habitat.

While speaking on Climate Disaster Risk, Mitigation, Adaptation and Risk Reduction, he said that Effective mitigation measures, such as preserving forests, are essential to minimize long-term risks. Risk reduction efforts must prioritize community-based approaches, early warning systems, and the integration of climate resilience into development planning, ensuring a safer future for the province’s communities.

Moving on, Mr. Syed Saadat Jahan, Deputy Director of Communication, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Commission (KPIC), spoke on Right to Information and & highlighted the social accountability tools for citizens participation in climate action. He emphasized that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act, 2013 empowers citizens to request information about climate policies, projects, and initiatives, promoting greater government openness and transparency. He also shared that there are 860 Public Information Officers (PIOs) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who are committed to facilitating access to information, ensuring accountability, and encouraging public engagement in environmental governance and decision-making processes.

He defined three steps of filing an RTI request, determining the information needs to be required, identifying the relevant department or public body for sending the RTI request, and submitting the application to the Designated Official of the Public Body. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Commission addresses complaints by ensuring that citizens’ RTI requests are processed in accordance with the law and taking action against public bodies that fail to provide the requested information.

Moreover, Mr. Jahan explained that citizens can request specific environmental data, such as information on climate policies, projects, and violations, by filing an RTI request with the Information Commission or the relevant public bodies. This process ensures transparency and accountability in the management of environmental issues.

Later on, Ms. Fariha Fatima provided an overview of TI Pakistan’s Legal Advice Centre and briefed on monitoring transparency in climate response initiatives. She informed participants that the center serves as dedicated resources for victims and witnesses of corruption, including cases of environmental mismanagement and irregularities, offering essential guidance to address such issues effectively.

Towards the end, participants expressed their gratitude for the valuable knowledge and skills gained during the workshop. Particularly on climate change mitigation, adaptation strategies, and social accountability tools. Certificates were distributed to all participants in recognition of their engagement and participation.