Pak glaciers improving, Senate panel told

ISLAMABAD:

The Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change was informed on Thursday that the glaciers in Pakistan were improving while those on the Indian side were melting at a faster rate.

These remarks were made by the Ministry of Climate Change officials during the Senate panel meeting, presided over by Senator Qurratul Ain Marri.

Briefing the committee, the Power Division officials stated that by 2030, a total of 53 per cent of the energy supply would transition to renewable resources. They said by this time, 19,000MW electricity would be added to the system out of which 15,000MW will be generated through hydropower.

It was further noted that 5,000MW renewable energy projects were currently under construction in the country.

The committee chairperson remarked that this information should be available with the Ministry of Climate Change, which should present it at the Conference of the Parties (COP).

Officials from the Ministry of Climate Change informed the committee that the government was considering an electric vehicles policy, adding that a briefing on the matter had already been given to the prime minister.

They mentioned that a financial model for the electric vehicles policy was being prepared.

Senator Manzoor Ahmed inquired about the government's strategy for Green Balochistan, to which officials from the Ministry of Climate Change responded that 39 agreements had been signed for this purpose and that collaboration with various NGOs was ongoing.