Govt plans three new projects under Rs122bn Green Pakistan Programme

The federal government plans to add three new environmental and biodiversity protection projects to the fiscal year 2026-27 under the revised Upscaling of Green Pakistan Programme (UGPP), with a focus on the Margalla Hills, a national botanical garden in Islamabad, and a pollution monitoring network

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Jul, 2026) The federal government plans to add three new environmental and biodiversity protection projects to the fiscal year 2026-27 under the revised Upscaling of Green Pakistan Programme (UGPP), with a focus on the Margalla Hills, a national botanical garden in Islamabad, and a pollution monitoring network.

According to documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the revised UGPP carries a total cost of Rs122.146 billion, including a federal PSDP share of Rs76.322 billion. The programme, launched for the 2019-2028 period, has been allocated Rs2.335 billion for FY2026-27.

The programme is described as the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination’s flagship initiative for ecological restoration and strengthening Pakistan’s natural capital through large-scale afforestation, biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration.

The project is financed on a cost-sharing basis between the federal and provincial governments. The federal share stands at around Rs76.3 billion, while the provincial governments’ contribution is estimated at Rs45.8 billion.

The programme supports both climate adaptation and mitigation, paves the way for carbon credit generation, and helps Pakistan meet its international environmental commitments.

The key components of UGPP include forest restoration on state and community lands, biodiversity conservation, promotion of non-timber forest products, carbon financing and natural resource assessment through GIS and remote sensing, institutional strengthening, monitoring, and cross-learning mechanisms.

Under the FY2026-27 additions, the first sub-component is the conservation of biological diversity and landscape management of Margalla Hills National Park and its buffer zones in line with international standards. This component has a total estimated cost of Rs1.689 billion.

The project proposes establishing a Wildlife Rescue Centre and an Urban Forestry Unit within Margalla Hills National Park. These facilities are expected to support biodiversity protection, rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife, and enhancement of urban green cover.

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The project would be housed in the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, an attached department of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination.

The second new initiative is the establishment of a National Botanical Garden at Bani Gala, Zoological Survey of Pakistan, Islamabad — Phase-I, at a total cost of Rs800 million.

The botanical garden project aims to protect plant species, preserve Pakistan’s natural heritage, and support the country’s national and international conservation commitments. The project will include nurseries, seed banks, and herbarium facilities for long-term conservation of germplasm and sustainable use of plant resources.

Once approved, the project will be housed in the Zoological Survey of Pakistan, an attached department of the ministry. The National Botanical Garden Islamabad is planned as a premier national institution for conservation, research, documentation, propagation and public display of Pakistan’s plant diversity.

The project will establish specialised thematic gardens, research facilities, herbarium, seed bank, nursery complexes, educational and visitor facilities, and ecological restoration sites. It is also expected to promote biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, scientific research, environmental education, and sustainable ecotourism in Pakistan.

The third proposed initiative is the Pollution Load Assessment Network (PLAN), with a cumulative cost of Rs1 billion.

The initiative will establish technical infrastructure and enhance institutional capacity to monitor air and water pollution levels in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). The project is expected to support evidence-based environmental regulation, policy formulation, and compliance monitoring.

The PLAN will be housed in the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, an attached department of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination.