Islamabad: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam has stated that the economic cost of environmental degradation has risen from 6% to 9% – with air pollution contributing almost 50% of the total costs – according to news sources.
The climate change minister revealed this unfortunate news while addressing a seminar on ‘Combating Air Pollution for Improved Public Health, Agriculture, and Economy: Time to Act Now’. This seminar was organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).
Mr Aslam attributed the worsening air quality and smog situation in the country to transport emissions, crop burning residue, brick kilns, steel furnaces and waste burning emissions. He stressed that additional air quality data monitoring stations in the country were required, under the ‘Punjab Green Development Programme (PGDP)’ initiative launched with the assistance of the World Bank. This initiative aims to enhance the capacity of the provincial Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The climate change minister also revealed that 30 air quality data monitoring stations were being set up in Punjab, with 10 located in Lahore alone. These stations will provide valuable insights into the climate situation, in order to spread public awareness and to ensure that preventive measures can be taken every day.
He added that PGDP is establishing a USD 50 million fund to subsidise industries in order to help them adopt environment-friendly technologies that will ultimately help reduce emissions. Under this programme, a vehicle inspection and certification system has already been put in to place to cut back on emissions from the transport sector.
The minister also disclosed that the Pakistan Electric Vehicle Policy had been approved by the government and would open up new avenues. These involved transitioning towards e-mobility, which could have a significant impact on lowering emissions across the country.
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