Page 21 - CMA Journal (Nov-Dec 2025)

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ICMA: Hard embankments often fail. What
nature-based solutions could better protect
It is high time that private
communities?
Naseer Memon: Flood vulnerability of different sector regulators ensure
communities varies with their location. Earthen
embankments, tree plantations, and proper drainage the implementation of
can reduce the vulnerability of communities.
Flood-prone villages should be provided with earthen national ESG standards
ring bunds, with tree plantations at their bases. Some
local natural materials, such as leaves and trunks, can
also be used to reinforce the soil bunds.
ICMA: Working with rural communities, which ICMA: From your experience in global forums like
climate adaptation practices have the greatest HCT and WHS, which best practices can improve
impact for farmers? disaster response in Pakistan?
Naseer Memon: Pakistan should allow humanitarian
Naseer Memon: Farming practices should be adjusted organizations to operate smoothly in the country by

to new realities, such as selecting appropriate crops and providing an enabling environment while maintaining
varieties, adjusting sowing times according to changing necessary regulation. These organizations possess
climate, increasing water efficiency, constructing international experience and knowledge that can help
elevated granaries, and establishing seed banks. These Pakistan develop its systems and resources to manage
could be some of the important adaptation measures.
disasters. All preparedness plans and related actions
ICMA: Human activities like deforestation worsen should be exercised during peacetime to mitigate the
climate disasters. What policy changes are most impact of disasters.
urgent?
ICMA: Corporate Pakistan is increasingly adopting
Naseer Memon: Deforestation has caused significant ESG. What practical steps can make these initiatives
damage in mountainous and riverine areas. It has impactful?
increased flood intensity by accelerating flow velocity Naseer Memon: The private sector in Pakistan is still
and soil erosion. Arresting deforestation does not taking baby steps due to weak regulation. Whatever
require new policies but strict enforcement of existing positive developments are occurring happen mainly
ones. However, since very powerful actors are behind because of pressure from international customers. It is
this destructive activity, laws and policies often high time that private sector regulators ensure the
become ineffective. implementation of national ESG standards. Strict
monitoring and appropriate incentives will encourage
ICMA: Water scarcity is a pressing challenge. What
the private sector to dedicate attention and resources to
immediate steps can secure water for communities
this front.
and farmers?
ICMA: Partnerships are essential. How can govern-
Naseer Memon: Pakistan ought to focus on ment, private sector, and civil society work together
increasing water efficiency and water productivity. Our to accelerate Pakistan’s green transformation?
age-old infrastructure and farming practices waste
huge quantities of irrigation water. The country needs Naseer Memon: With severe resource constraints,
to reduce the acreage of water-thirsty crops. multi-stakeholder strategic partnerships are of immense
Groundwater is being recklessly pumped during significance. The government should take a leading role
surface water shortages. Groundwater monitoring and by creating spaces to forge such partnerships. Pakistan
regulation are essential before we deplete our rapidly can generate resources through new avenues of green
dwindling aquifers. businesses and funds by developing impactful projects
via effective partnerships. Policies, incentives, and
Due to largely non-recoverable heavy seepage losses, opportunities can encourage different actors to work
the productivity of major crops is much lower than in together to promote green transformation across
neighboring countries such as India, Bangladesh, Sri various sectors.
Lanka, and Turkiye. Pakistan could increase crop
production by 50 to 100 percent using the same The Editorial Board thanks Mr. Naseer Ahmed Memon, Renowned
Development Professional and Expert on Climate Change, Disaster
amount of land and water. This would help avoid Resilience & Public Policy for sparing his precious time to give an
inter-provincial conflicts and promote harmony among exclusive interview for Chartered Management Accountant Journal.
the people of Pakistan.
ICMA’s Chartered Management Accountant, Nov-Dec, 2025