Climate Change Ministry to help in town planning, building systems

Islamabad: The climate change ministry would help provinces in introducing changes in town planning and building systems with an aim to prevent or minimize adverse effects of climate change.

According to the draft recommendations prepared in line with the National Climate Change Policy, the provinces would be asked to make installation of wastewater treatment plants an integral part of all sewerage schemes. It also included separate collection, disposal and re-use of recyclable, composite and biodegradable waste, preferably at source.

The draft underlined the need to update town planning design principles for lower carbon footprints besides utilizing the potential of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) by designing zero emission buildings through renewable energy technology.

“It is also necessary to curb rural-to-urban migration, develop infrastructure and support facilities in smaller agro-based town and periphery urban areas.” it said. The draft stated that proper land using planning encourages vertical instead of horizontal expansion of urban housing projects.

It said hazard mapping and zoning of areas should be mandatory before initiation of construction work and, if needed, the reconstruction after floods or natural disasters should also be made climate resilient. The solar water heaters should be installed in the residential areas where water heating is necessary and large industries should be located in the designated areas.

It maintained that the corporate sector should be encouraged to set up a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund to boost the efforts aiming at reduction in carbon emission. It concluded that the climate change presents a range of socio-economic implications for town planning on two counts.

First, town planning is a process by which adaptation to the climate change impacts is possible in the urban areas. Secondly, it influences the level of emissions produced by human settlements by changing fuel and energy consumption patterns.