Govt okays policy for greenhouse emissions

The government has approved draft policy guidelines for Trading in Carbon Markets amid concerns raised by Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

The Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Division informed the federal cabinet in a recent meeting that the draft policy guidelines had been prepared and presented to the Pakistan Climate Change Council (PCCC) during its third meeting held on April 26, 2024.

The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was attended by the chief ministers of all provinces. However, the chief ministers of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) stated that their concerns were not adequately addressed in the draft guidelines.

To build consensus among the provinces, the PM formed a committee chaired by the federal minister for law. He also directed the committee to submit a consensus report for further action.

The committee held detailed meetings with the provinces, addressed their concerns, and achieved consensus on the final draft of the policy guidelines.

Despite repeated requests, the AJK government did not provide written concurrence but verbally consented to the guidelines. Moreover, they did not raise any reservations during the consultative meetings conducted by the federal minister for law.

A meeting of the Implementation Committee of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) was held on September 30, 2024, where the draft guidelines were discussed again.

The Ministry of Climate Change briefed the SIFC on the consensus reached. Representatives from the provinces and the AJK were also present during the meeting.

The cabinet was informed that, after a two-year process, the prime minister, as the minister-in-charge, approved the draft policy guidelines in principle, considering the overall consensus among stakeholders.

The PM directed that the draft guidelines be shared with the PCCC and the federal cabinet for approval through circulation. The PCCC members, in the majority, concurred with the draft guidelines, except for the AJK government, which raised concerns belatedly.

Subsequently, the matter was resubmitted to the prime minister with the position of the AJK government. The PM approved the guidelines and allowed the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination to seek cabinet approval through circulation.

A summary was then moved for cabinet approval under Rule 17(1)(b) of the Rules of Business, 1973. However, the PM directed that the draft policy guidelines be presented at a regular federal cabinet meeting under Rule 17(1)(a) of the Rules of Business, 1973.

The draft policy guidelines for Trading in Carbon Markets were finally submitted for cabinet approval under Rule 17(1)(a) of the Rules of Business, 1973. The cabinet considered the summary, submitted by the Climate Change Division and approved the proposal.