Experts remain silent during second ever meeting of consultative group. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD: A government-formed think tank on climate change failed to come up with any proposals on a future roadmap for the country as most experts during its meeting on Wednesday remained largely quiet.
The think tank, called the Consultative Group on Climate Change, had met at Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) only for the second time after its inception in July 2015.
As the group huddled, most of the experts in the think tank remained quiet on how to deal with climate change issues.
“Though some members of consultative group urged on the need to take practical steps to deal with climate change issues, however, most of the purported climate change experts did not offer their input on how to deal with the alarming issue facing the country,” a participant of the meeting told The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity.
“Even after almost two years, the participants of the meeting were stuck on the role of the think tank or shared their input on small environmental issues instead of coming up with concrete proposals to support MoCC in addressing emerging climate change issues.”
The participant added that the think-tank had been formed on the directives of former Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Mushahidullah Khan in July 2015 to support the ministry in taking better and informed decisions on climate change.
The 27-member think-tank consists of members of national and provincial assemblies, senators, renowned scientists, researchers, climatologists, glaciologists, weather scientists, agriculturists, and academics from the government and non-governmental sectors.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq suggested assigning a focal person in each ministry for better coordination with MoCC on issues pertaining to climate change related issues.
“We need to develop infrastructure for better utilisation of the $40 billion if Pakistan succeeds in getting them [funds] from the Green Climate Fund,” she maintained.
MNA Mussarat Ahmed Zeb highlighted dangers pertaining to glacial outbursts. She also suggested that all provinces develop policies through where shopkeepers would charge customers a nominal amount for using plastic bags.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 25th, 2017.
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