Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Project (Green Pakistan Project)

Defining principles

The public sector has an important role in administering labor intensive projects to protect communities from the effects of climate change and restore ecosystems, and promote the economic inclusion of women and young adults.

Rationale

Revive forests and wildlife resources, improve conservation of protected areas, encourage tourism, community engagement, and direct job creation (1).

Number of participants

164,500 daily wage workers between 2019 and 2021 (2).

Criteria for participation

14 years and older (3)

Pay and benefits

The minimum wage: PKR 500 (USD 3) per day (4)

Financing

PKR 125.2B over the four years of the project (5). The yearly budget accounted for about nine percent of national GDP.

Implementation

Implemented by the Ministry of Climate Change, provincial and territorial Forest and Wildlife departments (6).

Types of work

Planning and administration, GIS mapping, record-keeping, nursery management, guarding forests, and tree planting (7).

Notable features

The billionth tree was planted in May 2021 (8). The program engages local communities, indigenous groups, and women to protect existing forest lands and expand their boundaries with new planting.

Challenges

A lack of national direction by ecological experts may lead to planting sites failing (due to lack of biodiversity, drought, or floods) (9) (10). Groundwater is often extracted to water the saplings, placing pressure on local material and financial resources (11). An audit found PKR 3.49 billion (2% of budget) in irregularities (12). Budgeting may not include enough funds for secondary expenses like water, administration, and travel (13).

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