ISLAMABAD, May 18: Pakistan can strengthen climate resilience by restoring degraded land, protecting watersheds and expanding forest cover through long-term planning, experts said, pointing to China’s afforestation model as a practical example for coordinated green development.
Experts told Wealth Pakistan that Pakistan’s forest cover remains below 5 percent of total land, making land restoration, ecological zoning and long-term protection essential for reducing climate risks. They said the country needs to treat tree plantation as ecological infrastructure rather than a seasonal campaign.
China’s state-run news agency Xinhua, citing the country’s forestry administration, reported that China afforested 549 million mu of land during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. It also restored more than 4.34 million mu of wetlands and treated 152 million mu of desertified land, raising forest coverage to 25.09 percent.
For Pakistan, experts said the main lesson is not only to plant more trees but to connect afforestation with monitoring, protection, community participation and maintenance.
Aftab Mehmood, Conservator Forests, Diamer, said China’s experience in controlling desertification is relevant for Pakistan because both countries face fragile ecosystems, rising climate stress and land degradation.
He said China had shown how degraded landscapes could be restored through scientific land management, large-scale afforestation and the use of drought- and heat-resistant plant species.
According to him, these approaches are particularly important for Pakistan’s arid, semi-arid and mountainous regions, where soil erosion, forest depletion and changing rainfall patterns are weakening ecological stability.
CPEC seen as platform for climate cooperation
Aftab Mehmood said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor could also support cooperation in climate resilience, beyond infrastructure development.
He said Pakistan could benefit from Chinese expertise in GIS-based monitoring, remote sensing and climate-resilient plantation planning. Such tools could help forest departments identify vulnerable areas, track plant survival rates and improve protection systems.
He added that governance would remain central to any successful afforestation strategy.
“By strengthening governance, ensuring strict protection of forest resources, and promoting community participation, we can effectively curb soil degradation and restore ecological balance,” he said.
Experts call for consistency in forest policy
Prof Dr Qaisar Mahmood, Professor at the Department of Environmental Science at COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad campus, said Pakistan’s main lesson from China is consistency.
He said large-scale afforestation requires clear targets, long-term planning, strong institutional support and credible monitoring systems, rather than short-term plantation drives.
Dr Qaisar said community participation and incentives for farmers could improve plantation survival and management. He said the focus should remain on native species and rehabilitation of degraded land instead of only increasing the number of saplings.
He added that forest restoration and watershed protection could help reduce flood risks, control soil erosion, regulate local temperatures and improve water retention in fragile ecosystems.
Ecological zoning and urban greening
Dr Qaisar said afforestation can also improve air quality, conserve biodiversity, stabilize soil and increase carbon absorption, but outcomes depend on careful planning, maintenance and selection of species suited to local ecological conditions.
He also highlighted the need for ecological zoning. He said horticultural zones could be strengthened in areas such as Dir and Swat, while cereal and vegetable zones could be better organized across Punjab’s plains.
He said Guzara forests could help meet local wood demand, while expanding national parks could support conservation. He also stressed the need to protect mangroves and coastal ecosystems because of their importance for fisheries, livelihoods and climate resilience.
Urban and household-level greening should also complement national forest policy, he said. Promoting indoor plants, green buildings and better urban plantation could support carbon absorption and help reduce smog in growing cities.
Experts said Pakistan’s afforestation agenda would be more effective if it is supported by scientific planning, strong protection mechanisms, community incentives and consistent policy commitment.
