UK announces AI system for Pakistan designed to detect, track early forest fires

ISLAMABAD: In a bold move to address environmental challenges in Pakistan, British High Commissioner Jane Marriott has announced a groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) system for Pakistan designed to detect and track early forest fires.

“By spotting early forest fires, we’ll be able to help protect communities and save livelihoods,” said the high commissioner in an interview with the official news agency.

The initiative, part of a comprehensive climate financing effort, aims to safeguard communities and protect livelihoods, particularly in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region and around the Margalla Hills in Islamabad.

Marriott said that United Kingdom would also provide financial assistance to support climate initiatives in Pakistan. “This includes the development of an innovative AI system dedicated to the early detection of forest fires, a technology set to revolutionise the way communities respond to environmental threats,” she said.

The high commissioner highlighted the ongoing collaboration between the UK and Pakistan under the financial accelerator program. “The UK is supporting eight different projects, eight innovative Pakistani enterprises in a climate-friendly way,” she explained.

Responding to a question about the financial components of support for the floods, she mentioned two significant aspects including involved immediate humanitarian assistance, with millions of pounds contributed for urgent humanitarian needs. For the longer term, she said, a focus on health care and education.

She further said, “We know that three and a half million children’s schooling was disrupted by those floods and there’s a worry that at least a million of those kids won’t go back to school.”

“The work that we’ve been doing, it’s not going to solve everything, but we’re in the process by December of getting 85,000 of those children back in school and learning that they wouldn’t otherwise ordinarily be doing,” she added.

Discussing King Charles III’s involvement in COP28, she said that the king would make one of the opening speeches at COP28 because as “we have said, it’s a matter that’s very, very dear to his heart”.

She said the UK would be focusing on three main areas around trying to keep the climate increase at 1.5 percent. “It’s a difficult, task, but we have to do it,” she added.

“We’ll be looking to build resilience with our partners across the globe, including here in Pakistan. And we’ll also be trying to halt and reverse the biodiversity loss. Both the UK and Kenya are members of 30 by 30, trying to protect 30 percent of our land and our oceans by 2030,” she said.

To a question, she said, “Pakistan has such tremendous economic potential and I think some of the reforms that we’re starting to see now are taking us in that direction. What I’d really like to see here is space and the right sort of regulations and environment for private sector because I think a private sector led growth for Pakistan will be incredibly successful.”

She highlighted the historical success of export-led growth, suggesting it could bring 7-9 percent per annum growth to the economy. The UK is actively collaborating with the government to support these efforts, benefiting both British businesses and British-Pakistani trade.

Responding to a question about the Pakistani diaspora in the UK, she acknowledged their integral role there, praising their cultural and economic contributions.