- Govt’s measures, initiatives to combat hazardous pollution levels in Lahore, other districts
Government officials in Pakistan acknowledge that the country faces a severe air pollution crisis, with some urban areas enduring hazardous pollution levels year-round. Children are particularly vulnerable to air and water pollution, which can lead to lifelong health issues, including diseases, disabilities, cognitive impairments, and even death. In highly urbanized cities like Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar, over a million people face an elevated risk of premature mortality due to air pollution.
The United Nations has warned that highly polluted air in Pakistan’s most populous province, Punjab, is posing severe risks to people, counting greater than 11 million children under the age of five. Air pollution levels broke records in the provincial capital, Lahore, and several other districts, surpassing the World Health Organisation’s air quality guidelines by more than 100 times, the UN Children’s Fund, or UNICEF, reported. It stated that hundreds of people, including dozens of children, have been hospitalised in hard-hit cities, and the pollution is so severe that it is visible from space.
No doubt, our government has formulated a strategy to tackle climate change issues, incorporating significant policy interventions and climate-related measures. The essential measures are as follows:
National Clean Air Policy (NCAP)
In Pakistan, the government officials also recorded that air pollution levels have escalated significantly, with some urban regions reaching hazardous pollution levels. In 2019, Lahore experienced ambient Particulate Matter (PM2.5) concentrations as high as 123 µg m-3, 24 times greater than the Air Quality Guideline set by the World Health Organization (WHO). To address this issue, the Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC) formulated and introduced the NCAP in 2023, aiming to enhance air quality by reducing pollution nationwide.
Pakistan clean air action plan
They also mentioned in the statement that Clean Air Asia and the Stockholm Environment Institute, supported by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, provide technical support to the provincial administrations of Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan, and KPK in developing Clean Air Action Plans (CAAPs). Assessments are currently being conducted to mitigate air pollution, aiming to identify the sources of pollution in these provinces and assess the potential reduction achievable through different measures. Artificial rain has been used for the first time in Pakistan to combat hazardous pollution levels in Lahore.
Pakistan policy guidelines for trading in carbon markets
The guideline envisages carbon markets as instrumental in mobilizing private sector finance, encouraging investment in sustainable projects, and expediting the shift towards a low emission economy. It emphasizes that the policy will undergo biennial reviews to incorporate improvements based on lessons learned, changes in international standards, and best practices. This policy addresses the governance and regulatory framework for compliance and Voluntary Carbon Markets (VCM) in Pakistan, per Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
National Electric Vehicle (NEV) Policy
The National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA) has collaborated with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to develop the Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure Regulations 2023. These regulations are in the final stages of approval, and the purpose of these regulations is to promote and facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles, expedite the establishment of a convenient and cost-effective EV charging infrastructure across Pakistan, and set minimum requirements for such infrastructure to meet both short-term and long-term charging needs.
Nationally Determined Contributions
Pakistan’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) target a 50 percent reduction in the country’s projected greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. This target is based on financing a 15 percent reduction below the business as usual (BAU) levels through domestic resources while reducing an additional 35 percent subject to the provision of international grant finance that would require USD 101 billion just for the energy transition. The MoCC&EC has launched federal and provincial NDC implementation plans to bolster the environment by establishing policies, regulations, and institutional frameworks to tackle implementation challenges and barriers.
Climate Finance Wing
Climate Finance Wing has two units, one dealing with carbon trading and the other facilitating access to private and global climate finance. A dashboard has also been prepared to coordinate with all the development partners to attract global climate finance through the different projects related to climate change. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Green Climate Fund (GCF) Steering Committees of Pakistan are actively reviewing and submitting various funding proposals related to climate finance.
Climate budget tagging initiative
MoCC&EC will coordinate the budget tagging exercise with the MoF and other relevant stakeholders to identify government budgets allocated to climate-related activities. This will help the Government to identify its climate related investments instantly. Due to the strong linkage between climate and disaster and its effects on women, the exercise will include climate, disaster, and gender tagging.
Living River Indus initiative
The Government has launched the Living River initiative to restore the River Indus for a climate resilient future. The Living Indus initiative seeks to rehabilitate and revive the natural resources and ecosystems of the basin to ensure their resilience to climate change. This landmark, Pakistan’s Living Indus Initiative, was bestowed the title of World Restoration Flagship by the United Nations. Selected from 150 applicants and supported by over 70 governments, its efforts to restore the Indus River basin have garnered global recognition.