Speakers at a seminar on environmental planning said Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) could not be achieved due to prevailing urban challenges and improper implementation of the environmental legislation. They emphasised that environmental planning be incorporated in all aspects of urban management because of poor local water quality, depleting aquifers, and polluted marine environment.
They added the environmental consequences of urban growth were considerable because cities were prolific users of natural resources and generators of wastes, so proper management system was required.
Speaking at a seminar "Green Cities-Plan for the Planet" in connection with the World Environment Day organised by Pakistan National Club for Unesco in collaboration with the Untied Nations Information Center and Ministry of Environment.
UN Information Center Director Dr Abdul Basit and Advisory Board Chairman Tetsuo Maximillilien Ohno, and Ministry of Environment Director Abdul Qadir also addressed the seminar.
Abdul Qadir said rapid urbanisation presented profound challenges from poverty and unemployment to crime and drug addiction and already one in every three urban dwellers lived in a slum. He said clean transport, energy-efficient buildings, safe sanitation and economical water use, all were possible but in future it would not be affordable for all.
Tetsuo Ohno said to meet the MDGs especially of halving the number of poor would be impaired unless adequate attention was paid to better environment management. He urged the government, Businesses and individuals to take urban environment as a challenge while preparing urban polices. He appreciated recent allocation of over Rs 3 billion for environmental projects under Public Sector Development Plan.
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