Steps for sustainable low-carbon development stressed

IslamabadL: Experts on Thursday urged the government to expedite implementation of policies and programmes for adopting sustainable low-carbon development pathways through adoption of environmentally-sustainable construction techniques and promotion of renewable energy for environmental protection and sustainable development goals.

They said achieving environmental protection and sustainable development goals were keys to attainment of not only poverty and unemployment reduction goals but also improvement in people’s living standards and fighting environmental degradation.

The experts were addressing a virtual consultative workshop on the 'slum Up-gradation and carbon emission reduction project' for promoting low-carbon and sustainable pathways.

The event was organised jointly by the climate change ministry, UN-Habitat, Sindh Environmental Protection Agency, and Directorate of Urban Planning and Development. Jawaid Ali Khan, National Programme Manager of the UN-Habitat in Pakistan, said climate change was a threat to economic growth, long-term socio-economic prosperity and the survival of already vulnerable communities, especially urban and rural slum areas in developing countries.

He, however, said adopting environmentally-sustainable and climate-resilience development pathways was central to making the localities, lives and livelihoods of the vulnerable communities secure from fallout of the climate risks, particularly urban floods, heat waves and cyclones.

During the event, the findings of a katchi abadi survey were also presented before participants for consultation regarding introduction of green technologies for low emission development in urban area of the country, especially slums in Karachi.

Director Urban Affairs of the climate change ministry Muhammad Azeem Khoso said the government was committed to putting the country on green pathway to deal with environmental degradation and make the rural, urban and slum localities environmentally-sustainable and climate-resilient.

"The launch of the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami, clean green Pakistan, Green Stimulus, e-vehicle, energy-efficient cooking stoves, clean energy brick kilns related projects and programmes are evidence of the incumbent government’s vision and commitment towards making the country clean and green," he said.

Lee Seung Hyun, the executive vice- president of the Safety and Engineering Group, EWP, called for better resilience against rapid urbanisation and effects of climate change by building adaptive capacity and said introduction of the green zero emission technology and raising awareness for behavioural change were imperative. Expert Arif Hassan pointed out low carbon technology and climate smart techniques become more important, for example climate smart paints for roof, wind turbine, solar water pump and solar power for housing.