Denmark urges Pakistan to take eco-friendly steps
Ambassador Holmboe says Islamabad needs to focus on ‘Green Transition of Economy
PHOTO: FILE/Creative Commons
Pakistan needs to focus on Green Transition of economy and energy sector to become climate neutral by 2050 and achieve sustainable development, said Ambassador of Denmark Rolf Michael Hay Pereira Holmboe.
He made these remarks while addressing a lecture on Denmark's Role in the Promotion of Global Climate Sustainability Solutions organized by Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies (IPD) and Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS).
The Danish envoy said Pakistan is potentially among the 10 most vulnerable countries due to climate change which should be taken seriously.
"If the countries facing global environmental degradation and shift in economic and energy sectors do not upgrade their sectors accordingly then they will be economically the losers," he added.
Holmboe said solar and wind energy were the cheapest power generation sources then coal. "Pakistan's exports should comprise 25 per cent of its GDP which is, at present, five per cent to six per cent. Such countries should adopt green production methods unlike the conventional ways as, in the future, consumers are going to favour only sustainably produced goods," he added.
The ambassador was of the view that Pakistani goods would have less share in the market due to lack of sustainable production. He said, "It is expected to have a ban on non-sustainably produced goods in the next 8 to 10 years." He informed that green transition focused four key areas mainly energy, water, resources and cities. Pakistan was already heading towards renewable energy solutions with its new energy plan to be launched soon. Denmark was ready to chip in for joint collaboration in the sector's development and is waiting for the energy plan to be announced, he added. The Danish envoy said, "Denmark's energy sector is the most renewable, reliable and the cheapest in the world." It was necessary for the world to manage its water resources where certain regions of Pakistan including Sindh and Punjab were going to observe high temperatures resulting depletion of agricultural land.
The next core area to focus was resources as there was a huge misbalance in the earth resources utilized by the world and their replenishment. Pakistan had the highest population growth which would get, the country, hit harder in this side due to increased stress on its available resources. "Since 1990, Denmark has grown 50 per cent and the country is emitting less carbon dioxide then in 1990," he added. Denmark, he mentioned, was going to organize the C40 World Mayors Summit, taking place in Copenhagen from 9-12 October 2019, where Karachi was part of the summit.
He added that major cities of all the countries in Copenhagen Summit would pledge to take action for going climate neutral by 2030 other than global commitment by 2050.
He said cities were the fourth main area to focus as they were key players in the countries' economic development and sustainability. Cities, he said, used 70 percent of energy produced and responsible for emitting 80 percent of carbon dioxide into the air.
With the increasing climate change risk, there had been serious technological advancement taking place in the world from renewable energy solution to electric cars with zero emissions so we should avail ourselves with this opportunity, the Danish envoy said.
He concluded that Pakistan had the solutions available and the way forward was to have collaboration with countries like the one existing with Denmark for research and development.
IPD President Farhat Asif said the lecture was part of the series of talks held on core diplomatic, economic and environmental challenges faced by the country and it was much needed to have Denmark's view on environmental developments.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 30th, 2019.
He made these remarks while addressing a lecture on Denmark's Role in the Promotion of Global Climate Sustainability Solutions organized by Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies (IPD) and Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS).
The Danish envoy said Pakistan is potentially among the 10 most vulnerable countries due to climate change which should be taken seriously.
"If the countries facing global environmental degradation and shift in economic and energy sectors do not upgrade their sectors accordingly then they will be economically the losers," he added.
Holmboe said solar and wind energy were the cheapest power generation sources then coal. "Pakistan's exports should comprise 25 per cent of its GDP which is, at present, five per cent to six per cent. Such countries should adopt green production methods unlike the conventional ways as, in the future, consumers are going to favour only sustainably produced goods," he added.
The ambassador was of the view that Pakistani goods would have less share in the market due to lack of sustainable production. He said, "It is expected to have a ban on non-sustainably produced goods in the next 8 to 10 years." He informed that green transition focused four key areas mainly energy, water, resources and cities. Pakistan was already heading towards renewable energy solutions with its new energy plan to be launched soon. Denmark was ready to chip in for joint collaboration in the sector's development and is waiting for the energy plan to be announced, he added. The Danish envoy said, "Denmark's energy sector is the most renewable, reliable and the cheapest in the world." It was necessary for the world to manage its water resources where certain regions of Pakistan including Sindh and Punjab were going to observe high temperatures resulting depletion of agricultural land.
The next core area to focus was resources as there was a huge misbalance in the earth resources utilized by the world and their replenishment. Pakistan had the highest population growth which would get, the country, hit harder in this side due to increased stress on its available resources. "Since 1990, Denmark has grown 50 per cent and the country is emitting less carbon dioxide then in 1990," he added. Denmark, he mentioned, was going to organize the C40 World Mayors Summit, taking place in Copenhagen from 9-12 October 2019, where Karachi was part of the summit.
He added that major cities of all the countries in Copenhagen Summit would pledge to take action for going climate neutral by 2030 other than global commitment by 2050.
He said cities were the fourth main area to focus as they were key players in the countries' economic development and sustainability. Cities, he said, used 70 percent of energy produced and responsible for emitting 80 percent of carbon dioxide into the air.
With the increasing climate change risk, there had been serious technological advancement taking place in the world from renewable energy solution to electric cars with zero emissions so we should avail ourselves with this opportunity, the Danish envoy said.
He concluded that Pakistan had the solutions available and the way forward was to have collaboration with countries like the one existing with Denmark for research and development.
IPD President Farhat Asif said the lecture was part of the series of talks held on core diplomatic, economic and environmental challenges faced by the country and it was much needed to have Denmark's view on environmental developments.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 30th, 2019.