KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Local Government, Housing & Town Planning, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, has said that Sindh has become the first province in Pakistan to successfully implement a government-led carbon credit project, enabling the country to earn substantial foreign exchange through its internationally acclaimed mangrove restoration programme while reaffirming its unwavering commitment to environmental protection and climate resilience.
Addressing the 23rd Annual Environment Conference and Awards-2026, organised by the National Forum for Environment & Health (NFEH), he said the Sindh government was further strengthening its climate governance framework by modernising environmental institutions and aligning them with international best practices. He announced that the Sindh Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) was being amended to make it more transparent, efficient and fully responsive to emerging climate change challenges while bringing the province’s environmental regulatory framework in line with international standards.
He said a dedicated Directorate of Carbon Credits had recently been established under the Environment Department to facilitate climate finance and accelerate carbon market development. The department had also approved 13 carbon credit projects, which were currently at different stages of implementation and covered diverse sectors including mangrove restoration, riverine forests, biogas generation, agro-forestry and landfill methane emission control.
Nasir Shah said the Sindh government had also launched urban forestry projects in Karachi and other cities to expand green cover and improve environmental conditions, while extensive plantation campaigns had been undertaken along irrigation canals and suitable open spaces across rural Sindh.
He said the Sindh government, in partnership with the Asian Development Bank, was implementing the Jam Sakro Outfall Drain Project to protect communities in the coastal belt of Thatta district from flooding.
Nasir Shah said these initiatives reflected Sindh’s determination to position itself as Pakistan’s leading province in climate action by combining environmental conservation, technological innovation, institutional reforms and carbon market development to achieve sustainable economic growth and climate resilience.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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