Islamabad, Pakistan, 27 January 2006 (IUCN) – At the end of a three-day visit to Pakistan, Valli Moosa, president of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) called for a more assertive role of the conservation movement in making environmental considerations an essential part of socio-economic development in countries like Pakistan.

He also pledged to boost the Union ’s assistance for the post-earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation. “The safe disposal of debris has become one of the greatest environmental challenges in the wake of the earthquake,” he said.
Valli Moosa visited Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), one of the worst earthquake affected areas, on 25 January to learn more about the particular needs of the people and the challenges facing the Government of Pakistan in the wake of the earthquake. During his meeting with Sardar Sikander Hayat Khan, Prime Minister of AJK and representatives of his government, Valli Moosa assured the full cooperation of the World Conservation Union in reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts and agreed to set up an office in the region.

At the outset of Moosa’s visit, Mohammedmian Soomro, Acting President of Pakistan, met with Valli Moosa in Islamabad on 24 January to discuss reconstruction activities in the devastated areas and the potential role of the Union in reconstruction efforts.

A healthy environment protects people
In a keynote lecture given in Islamabad to policy planners, senior government officials and key representatives of civil society, media and academia on 25 January, Moosa advocated the sustainable use of natural resources for the wellbeing of people.

“ Mangroves acted as a buffer against the destructive power of the tsunami; in the wake of the earthquake, the forest slopes on the mountains of northern Pakistan were much less affected by the ravages of the landslides than those marred by deforestation,” he said.

Economic instruments for conservation
With climate change being the most serious threat to the long term well-being of life on earth, Moosa emphasized the Kyoto protocol as an excellent opportunity for market forces to play their role in minimizing carbon emissions and mitigating their effects on climate change.

Mentioning successful examples of economic instruments for conservation, especially in Costa Rica and Panama , Moosa said that similar initiatives needed to be adopted in other parts of the world, including Pakistan .
For an Asian environment ministers’ conference in Pakistan

When meeting with Tahir Iqbal, Minister for Environment of Pakistan, Moosa offered the Union ’s support in organizing an Asian Environment Ministers’ Conference in Pakistan in order to further the mainstreaming of environmental considerations in the socio-economic development in Pakistan and Asia .

Valli Moosa also participated in the meeting of the Union ’s Pakistan National Committee that brings together 24 member organizations including the State of Pakistan, five government agencies and 18 non-governmental organizations on January 26. He asked the Union ’s members to play a more assertive role, both in terms of contributing to global knowledge on the environment and mainstreaming environmental perspectives into development processes.

For more information contact:
Hasan Rizvi, Head, Education, Communication and Knowledge Management Group, The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Pakistan,
Tel: +92 (21) 537–4072/74; e-mail: hasan.rizvi iucn.org

Carolin Wahnbaeck, Media Relations Officer, The World Conservation Union (IUCN), Tel. +41 22 999 0127; Fax: +41 22 999 0020; e-mail: carolin.wahnbaeck iucn.org


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Created in 1948, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) brings together 81 States, 113 government agencies, 850 plus NGOs, and some 10,000 scientists and experts from 181 countries in a unique worldwide partnership. The Union’s mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.

The World Conservation Union is the world's largest environmental knowledge network and has helped over 75 countries to prepare and implement national conservation and biodiversity strategies. The Union is a multicultural, multilingual organization with 1000 staff located in 62 countries. Its headquarters are in Gland, Switzerland.

The Union’s office in Pakistan has five programme offices in cities from the north to the south,
multiple field offices and a large portfolio of projects. It is one of the nine Country Offices of IUCN's Asia Programme, covering 23 countries with around 500 staff.
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