PM urges govts to work together to formulate policy on climate change

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasised the provincial governments and the federal government to work together to formulate a policy regarding climate change as the challenges of climate change are increasing day by day.

The PM directed to form a committee for consultation with the provinces on the final policy formulation regarding the policy guidelines on carbon credits while presiding over a meeting of the Pakistan Council on Climate Change on Friday.

The premier said Pakistan was one of the countries most affected by the harmful effects of climate change and was badly affected by the rains of 2022 and the resulting floods.

He said all relevant institutions and ministries together took key steps to bring the country out of that difficult time and build infrastructure regarding climate change.

Shehbaz Sharif said that friendly countries, the international community, especially the Secretary General of the United Nations responded to the call of Pakistanis affected by climate change, for which the entire nation, including him, was grateful to them.

He said there had been an improvement in the measures regarding carbon credits across the country which needed to be made faster and more effective.

He said there was no question of any kind of policy-making without consulting the provinces on all issues related to climate change.

In the meeting, there was a detailed discussion regarding the policy guidelines for trading in carbon credits. He directed to present the draft in the next meeting of the Council after consultation with the provinces.

In the meeting, the chief ministers of the four provinces informed about the position of their respective provinces regarding policy making and presented suggestions.

The PM directed the Ministry of Climate Change to take the provinces and all stakeholders completely into confidence for this important policy draft.

The meeting was attended by federal ministers, Ishaq Dar, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Sardar Owais Khan Leghari, Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Climate Change Romina Khurshid Alam. Relevant senior officials and experts from public and private sectors also participated in the meeting.

Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan and chief ministers of all four provinces also participated in the meeting through video link.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024