![the policy focuses on development sectors such as water resources agriculture and livestock forestry human health disaster preparedness transport and energy photo file the policy focuses on development sectors such as water resources agriculture and livestock forestry human health disaster preparedness transport and energy photo file](https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/513157-Climatechange-1361940100/513157-Climatechange-1361940100.jpg)
Pakistan might be in a position to boast its very first National Climate Change Policy but the road to effective implementation is long and arduous.
The policy, which was officially launched by the Ministry of Climate Change in Islamabad on Tuesday, provides a framework for coping with the threats of climate change through adaptation and mitigation measures. The policy was approved by the Cabinet in September 2012.
The policy focuses on development sectors such as water resources, agriculture and livestock, forestry, human health, disaster preparedness, transport and energy.
“The goal is to ensure that climate change is mainstreamed in the economically and socially vulnerable sectors of the economy and to steer Pakistan towards climate resilient development,” Javaid Ali Khan, director-general of climate change and environment at the ministry said during his presentation at the launch.
Some of the measures include flood forecasting warning systems, local rainwater harvesting, developing new varieties of resilient crops, health impact assessment of changing weather patterns, promotion of renewable energy sources and efficient mass transport systems.
Implementation
Now that the policy has been launched, the relevant ministries and departments as well as provincial and local governments will come up with their own strategies and plans to get to work.
And implementation is the biggest challenge the policy faces.
Mujtaba Hussain, deputy secretary of the ministry, briefed the audience on how they plan to move ahead.
Policy implementation committees will be formed at the federal and provincial levels. There were a variety of financing options available for projects under the climate change policy such as the international Green Climate Fund which aims to raise $100 billion for environmental projects worldwide by 2020. A National Climate Change Fund will also be formed.
According to the National Economy and Environment Development Study 2011, climate change adaptation measures from now to 2050 will cost around $6 billion to $14 billion and mitigation efforts during the same period will cost $7 billion to $18 billion.
“This is the price tag of climate change in Pakistan,” he said.
Climate change is a huge challenge that the government cannot handle on its own. It requires collaboration and cooperation between the private and public sectors, Hussain asserted.
But it seems the provincial environment departments are not best-equipped to tackle climate change.
“Capacity issues are the first handicap,” Hussain told The Express Tribune, after the ceremony. “Climate change is a relatively new phenomenon and there is very little knowledge in the provincial environment departments on how to deal with it.”
He said the action plan is being prepared. The ministry will work with the provinces to help them gear up. The whole process would take eight to 10 months, Hussain said.
Marc-André Franche, country director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), stressed the government cannot afford to be slack at this point.
“Pakistan’s record on implementation is hardly enviable,” Franche said. “But the climate change clock is ticking too fast and the time (to act) is here and now.”
He said there are significant resources and implementation challenges for policy and implementation will require serious political will at the highest level of government, perhaps in the form of a parliamentary sub-committee.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Climate Change Rana Saeed Farooq Khan, who arrived two hours late for the launch, assured that the ministry had taken the provinces and other stakeholders on board before finalising the policy and the ministry will help them implement it as well.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 27th, 2013.
COMMENTS (8)
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Like the American's say --- judge Pakistan based on what it does rather than what it says. Discussion about the impact of climate change is a step in the right direction - actually preparing for climate change via rain harvesting etc. would be a giant step. Since Pakistan seems to be taking steps to move towards coal as an energy source one wonders how serious it is when it comes to climate change.
It is quite encouraging to launch National Climate Change Policy.The quesion arises about funds on implementation of this policy.Donors countries at international level refused to provide funds at Doha Conference which culminated recently. Will our policy makers be able to allocate funds in coming budget otherwise it will be a futile exercise.
It is quite encouraging to launch National Climate Change Policy.The quesion arises about funds on implementation of this policy.Donors countries at international level refused to provide funds at Doha Conference which culminated recently. Will our policy makers be able to allocate funds in coming budget.This aspect must be given serious consideation otherwise this will be a futile exercise.
Let's hope the government now move ahead on policy implementation rather than announcing after every six months that policy drafted, policy finalized, policy approved, and now policy launched....
its good we Pakistani are also paying heed to such a large issue
What a bunch of hogwash!
Next to oxygen and water, carbon dioxide is the most critical chemical for the health and wellbeing of life on this planet!
Without CO2 plants starve. As a matter of fact before mankind started burning stuff it was getting critical. See the peer-reviewed paper: "Carbon starvation in glacial trees recovered from the La Brea tar pits, southern California"
Hahahahaha. Bureaucracy releases an environment policy the day PTI releases one. What were you guys doing for 4.95 years. #statusquodramatics