Pakistan’s Indus Delta emerges on UN radar

Islamabad: The shrinking delta of the Mighty River Indus of Pakistan on Wednesday emerged on the United Nations' radar after it accepted to create a global convention on all deltas of the world to ensure its protection against rising climate change impacts.

The development occurred after a strong international civil society nexus of experts, academicians, policy makers and stakeholders unanimously raised their voice for an international UN Convention for the Conservation River Delta (UN-CCRD) on the sequel of its UN Human Rights Declaration, UN Geneva Pact and many others to ensure that all the major deltas of the world are dying due to adverse impacts of climate change.

The African Centre for Climate Actions and Rural Development Initiative in collaboration with the Nigeria's Bayelsa State Government, the Institute for Environmental Diplomacy and Security at the University of Vermont, the Consortium for Capacity Building at the University of Colorado, Transboundary Water In-Cooperation Network (TWIN), Water Environment Forum-Pakistan, Center for the Advancement of Public Action Bennington College; Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam; and Center for Environment and Sustainable Livelihood Projects (CESLP), among others hosted a side event at the UN Water conference titled "Integrative Highland to Ocean (H2O) Action for Disappearing Deltas: Towards a UN Convention on Conserving River Deltas.

Former federal minister for information and broadcasting and Chairman of the World Environment Forum Nisar Memon participated virtually to represent Pakistan in the sideline event whereas Freeman Elohor Oluowo of ACCARD and Prof Dr Asim Zia, Director, Institute for Environmental Diplomacy, Vermont physically participated in the session.

The global convention would help in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved by 2030 namely SDG-6 demanding "Clean Water", SDG-13 "Climate Action", and SDG-14 "Conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources". 

The announcement about the Indus Delta emerging on the UN radar came after the successful campaign of the above-mentioned coalition of non-governmental and civil society organizations who started the drive for a global convention of the United Nations to protect deltas.

The UN accepted that all the world deltas are under threat and sea level rise and intrusion were causing damage to soil and water ecosystems.

It is not only nature but rather the communities, the livelihood opportunities and human lives that were diminishing and demanded the world to respond for their protection. There would be various activities in Delta countries towards achieving the UN Convention for the Conservation River Delta.