CSO vying to embed climate resilience in municipal services

PESHAWAR: A civil society organisation - Centre for Governance and Public Accountability (CGPA) - has launched work to integrate climate resilience into municipal services.

“We are empowering the Local Government Department to adopt sustainable practices in areas such as waste management, water supply, and sanitation,” said CGPA Executive Director Muhammad Anwar while speaking at a function.

He said the CGPA was promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance in Pakistan, but had now expanded its scope to include climate governance.“The decision to broaden our scope to climate governance stems from recognizing the urgent need for climate-resilient frameworks to address growing environmental challenges,” he explained.

Anwar said the escalating impacts of climate change highlighted the necessity of effective governance, particularly at the local level, where municipalities and service providers were on the frontlines to address its consequences.

“Municipal services such as solid waste management, water supply, and sanitation are integral to creating sustainable and healthy communities. However, climate change has exposed significant vulnerabilities in urban infrastructure,” he said.

Anwar said the unpredictability of extreme weather events, including floods and droughts, imposes additional strain on systems that manage waste, sanitation, and water resources. “Improving municipal services is no longer just about efficient governance; it’s about tackling the emerging climate crisis and transforming citizens’ lives through sustainable urban planning,” he explained.

Anwar said that CGPA, with over a decade of experience advancing good governance and public accountability, was positioning itself as a player in climate governance.He said one notable initiative undertaken by the CGPA was its collaboration with the Local Government Elections and Rural Development Department (LGE&RD) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to develop solid waste management (bylaws.

This initiative bridges governance and climate resilience by addressing the critical issue of waste mismanagement, which contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane from landfills and open dumps, added the CGPA chief.

In 2024, CGPA played a role in facilitating the formulation of SWM bylaws for Tehsil Municipal Administrations across KP.“Effective solid waste management is essential for enhancing climate governance, as it directly impacts greenhouse gas emissions. Our support in framing these bylaws shows our commitment to climate-responsive governance,” Muhammad Anwar stated.

He said CGPA’s climate governance strategy centred on integrating citizen voices into climate-related decision-making, ensuring transparency in climate financing, and fostering sustainable service delivery at the local level.

“By addressing the intersection of governance, accountability, and climate resilience, CGPA is helping municipalities not only respond to the immediate challenges of climate change but also empower citizens to actively participate in building a sustainable future,” he added.