Path to clean air

With summer in its later stages and Punjab’s annual smog season right around the corner, the Punjab government has launched an integrated environmental surveillance system that employs satellite and drone technology. The aim appears to be to track down those violating environmental laws and smoke emissions standards via a drone and satellite monitoring system, with at least two factories in Gujranwala having already been raided by the Environment Protection Department team and the district administration. The raiding team reportedly demolished the kilns causing environmental pollution and sealed both factories. Smog is indeed a very serious problem in Punjab, particularly during the winter months where it becomes almost impossible to see during days of thick smog, disrupting transport and threatening people’s health. Moreover, air pollution is a significant problem throughout the country. Virtually the entire population of Pakistan breathes air that is almost three times more polluted than what national air standards allow, leading to an estimated loss in life expectancy of 2.3 years. In these circumstances, cracking down on polluters seems to be the most obvious and necessary step.

However, while enforcing environmental standards is indeed important, one must also recognize that many in Pakistan have no choice but to rely on old, inefficient and polluting technologies. This is arguably a bigger contributor to air pollution than individuals simply trying to cut corners. As a result, any blanket enforcement of environmental standards without the simultaneous provision of affordable environmentally friendly technologies will have the unintended effect of harming the nation’s industry and ordinary consumers and employees. Most of the bikes, buses and rickshaws in Pakistan are quite polluting and likely do not meet any up-to-date emissions standards, but they are relied upon by millions and it would be quite unfair to punish people for driving these vehicles when they have no other choice. Thus, while environmental surveillance and enforcement are important, they have to be coupled with the provision of cleaner ways of doing things at a price that those living and working in a poor country can afford. This is not just a challenge for the local authorities but international organizations and rich countries too. The latter often export their pollution to countries like Pakistan by outsourcing the most polluting activities and, in some cases, lobbying against stricter environmental standards or working with local partners while ignoring their environmental track record. Cleaning up air pollution will be virtually impossible unless companies in the developed world clean up their act and their governments pressure them to do so.

Then there is the fact that Pakistan’s air pollution and smog do not just come from local sources alone. The burning of agricultural waste across the border, along with other issues, is also part of the problem. Air does not recognize borders and pollution from within the region, regardless of which country it is from, will affect all countries. This calls for regional environmental standards and enforcement mechanisms. This will also remove room for countries to undercut each other by taking a lax stance towards pollution in order to attract business. Simply put, pollution is not a problem that countries can solve on their own and without providing their people the means to access cleaner alternatives.