About
Pakistan, a South Asian developing state, has a rapidly increasing economy but with it a host of environmental problems normally associated with developing countries. Since the 1972 Stockholm Conference on Human Environment, Pakistan actively participated and ratified various major conventions and protocols.
Pakistan also brought about various legislative and institutional reforms like incorporating environment in the 1973 Constitution, pioneering in drafting of the National Conservation Strategy and eventually in completing a detailed set of guidelines regarding environment in National Environmental Policy 2005.
Following Pakistan’s accession to the Kyoto Protocol in January 2005, the Ministry of Environment has been declared as Designated National Authority for the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects.
While Pakistan is not a big contributor to climate change – it only produces about 30 million metric tons of carbon emissions, which are about 0.4 percent of global emissions – it remains a victim of climate change impacts such as unpredictable weather events, record-breaking cold and heat waves, droughts and floods.
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Strategy
As a developing country, Pakistan is facing the dilemma of earning revenues to meet the massive global demand through production processes which are increasing the share of pollutant emissions, or else to take advantage of the technology transfer and investments to make their existing production processes more environmentally friendly, by volunteering to comply with Kyoto Protocol guidelines.
Presently the following initiatives have been taken regarding climate change:
- Establishment of a High Level Task Force on Climate Change in the Prime Minister Secretariat
- Establishment of a Technical Advisory Panel on Climate Change with IUCN as its secretariat
- Development of CDM Strategy and involvement of industry in its implementation
- Involvement in development of Regional Climate Change Strategy
There are various ongoing projects aimed at countering GHG emissions. Pakistan is currently establishing a committee to enforce compliance of reducing GHGs under Kyoto Protocol guidelines so that the country can be better placed to access an increased flow of foreign investment in projects aimed at reduction of GHGs.
Under the CDM strategy, the priority areas for projects are: energy (renewable/alternate), energy efficiency, fossil fuel co-generation, forestry (afforestation and reforestation), agriculture, waste management (landfills and composting) and industrial/chemical processes to keep GHG emissions to a minimum, in accordance with the ratification of Kyoto Protocol. Details of the various projects can be found on the CDM website http://www.cdmpakistan.gov.pk.
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
The Government shall promote energy efficiency and renewable forms of energy in order to reduce pressure on environmental resources as well as pollution. To this end, the Government shall:
- Develop and implement the national energy policy.
- Formulate and enact energy conservation legislation and audit standards.
- Reactivate the Pakistan Energy Conservation Council.
- Make Building Energy Code a part of the Building Code of Pakistan.
- Strengthen financial mechanisms, institutions, and associated policies and regulations to provide innovative lending specially in the demand side efficiency improvement.
- Give preferential status to energy efficient imports over inefficient imports.
- Develop and implement a plan for conversion of public transport to condensed natural gas (CNG).
- Establish energy resource and information centers in provinces.
- Institute the National Energy Conservation Award.
- Promote renewable forms of energy (wind, solar, biogas etc.) at a wider scale
- Encourage use of waste resources for energy production
Pakistan’s Alternative Energy Development Board is developing national strategy, policies and plans for the utilization of renewable and alternative energy resources to achieve targets approved by Federal Government. Details of various renewable/alternative energy development projects can be found on the AEDB website (www.aedb.org)
Pakistan’s mid-term renewable energy policy, offering even more favourable market mechanism for the growth of renewable energy sector, is also expected to be announced in January 2010.
Wind power
Pakistan has a considerable potential of wind energy in the coastal belt of Sindh, Balochistan and as well as in the desert areas of Punjab and Sindh. This renewable source of energy has however, not so far been utilized significantly.
So far, large wind turbines for power generation have not been installed in Pakistan. However, about 30 wind mills for pumping water have been installed for experimental purposes in different parts of Sindh and Balochistan.
In addition to the development activities in wind energy field for on grid electricity production, the wind energy is also being used for the electrification of remote off grid villages in the southern coastal areas of Pakistan. So far more than 18 villages have been electrified using micro wind turbines. Indigenous development of micro wind turbines has also commenced in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s first ever Wind Power Plant of commercial scale was inaugurated by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on 19th April 2009 at Jhimpir, District Thatta, Sindh.
Biogas as a renewable energy source
Every city of Pakistan produces thousands of tons of solid municipal waste as well as millions of gallons of wastewater. It can be converted into energy and organic fertilizer. Biomass like rice husk, cotton stalks, jute waste, bagasse and other crop residues are also produced in thousands of tons in Pakistan that can be used for power generation purposes.
For more than twenty years, Biomass/Waste to Energy has been recognized as a clean, reliable, renewable source of energy. Unfortunately in Pakistan this source of energy has not been utilized for power generation in the past. However, in recent years, waste-to-energy technologies have been developed to produce clean energy through the combustion of municipal solid waste in specially designed power plants equipped with the most modern pollution control equipment to clean emissions.
Biomass and waste to energy plants are used not only to generate sufficient power but also used to clean up the environment as well by conserving non-renewable fossil fuel resources and reducing the environmental impacts of trash disposal. Biomass and waste-to-energy facilities can also contribute to the country’s economy by providing jobs apart from generating electricity.
Pakistan is actively facilitating public/private sector organizations for establishing and promoting biomass/waste to energy projects in Pakistan as one window facility.
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