11.

Environment and Sustainable Development

11.1.

Introduction

Pakistan is increasingly conscious that pursuit of growth and development has placed a heavy
burden on sustainability for now and the foreseeable future. The objective of the MTDF is to
establish a just and sustainable economic system and achieving Millennium Development
Goals. Over the last decade, significant progress has been made in developing the
environmental policy and regulatory framework, development of environmental institutions
and raising awareness. The degradation of environment, however, continues at an rate,
affecting livelihoods and health as well as increasing vulnerability of the poor to disasters and
environment-related conflicts. The current cost of environmental degradation is considerably
higher. An assessment by the World Bank in 1995 estimated the total cost of remediation at 2.6
per cent of the GDP.
Pollution of air and water, climate change, ozone depletion, deforestation,
desertification and vanishing biodiversity land degradation, lack of waste management, lack of
urban land use planning and zoning, has resulted in ecological imbalance, threatening life and
civilization. These imbalances, created by man over time, have to be immediately addressed.
Hence environment has to be integrated into all development efforts and policy formulations.
The environment does not exist in isolation and there are several other sectors whose
development impacts the environment. These sectors come under the purview of different
Ministries. For countries like Pakistan, such integration is difficult as the socio-economic costs
of replenishment of ecology are not fully appreciated. But these upfront initiatives are
imperative and not even a shade of the socio-economic losses over years and generations, if left
unattended.
Integration of social and environmental considerations into development processes
of crosscutting sectors of economy, in a holistic manner, is essential to achieve positive
environmental outcomes. Strategic Environmental Assessment in development planning
process is, therefore, a pre-requisite for integration of environment at policy, planning and
programme level of difference sectors.
11.2.

Situation Analysis

The sectors where environment has a crosscutting effect and impact linkages but
these are not properly integrated/coordinated with the environment sector, include the
integrated pest management, application of pesticides/herbicides, persistent organic
pollutants (POPs), green accounting / environmental economics, involvement of the private
sector, medicinal plants, public-private partnership, energy efficiency, industrial efficiency,
transport, urban environment, cultural heritage, sustainable tourism/eco-tourism,
population, poverty and environment, communication for sustainable development,
environmental education, gender integration, environmental health, education, governance,
mining, etc.
In general, the present degraded environmental situation has arisen due to high
population growth rate, low level of public awareness and education, irrational management of
natural resources, unplanned urban and industrial expansions. More specifically, the following
issues have to be addressed by the relevant stakeholders.

i)

Forest cover (4.8% in 1992) could hardly be increased despite all efforts.
Forestry Sector Master Plan has estimated an annual loss of 2.3 billion rupees
as a result of flooding, erosion of fertile soil from upland watersheds and
siltation of reservoirs and irrigation system.

ii)

Desertification has affected 43 million hectares of land, whereas land

reclamation programmes, like National Drainage Programme would cover
upto 2 million hectares only.

iii)

Marine environment has been severely polluted by discharge of industrial

and domestic sewage through the Malir and Lyari rivers and other sources,
carrying in excess of 350 million gallons per day of effluents. Oily discharge is
also contaminating seawater at the Karachi port and harbor.

iv)

Per capita water availability in Pakistan is decreasing at an alarming rate. The

1951 per capita availability 5300 cubic meters has now decreased to 1200 cubic
meter just touching water scarcity level of 1000 cubic meter. Existing water
resources are under threat due to rapid degradation, soil erosion,
deforestation and untreated discharge of municipal and industrial wastes.

v)

Majority of the population is exposed to the hazards of drinking unsafe and

polluted water. The bacterial contamination in 2004 ranged from 48 per cent
in Islamabad to 100 per cent in Ziarat. Arsenic testing of drinking water
supply has indicated that the districts of Bahawalpur, Liyah, Multan, Rahim
Yar Khan and D.G. Khan, Dadu, Mirpur Khas, Khairpur, Nawabshah,
Shikarpur and Ghotki were at high risk with several areas indicating Arsenic
levels at over 50 parts per billion (ppb). Also the Nitrate and Fluoride
contamination is more than 10 ppb in the districts of Risalpur, Chakwal,
Jhelum, Mianwali, Khushab, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Loralai, Ziarat,
Mastung, Mirpur Khas and Karachi.

vi)

Less than 50 per cent of population has access to adequate sanitation, while
around 60 per cent of urban solid waste is collected. No city has proper waste
collection and disposal system for municipal or hazardous wastes, causing
contamination of soil. Excessive use of pesticides has adversely affected
biomass of agriculture land.

vii)

Industry imports about 525 types of chemicals and dyes/colors for use in
different processing, which generates toxic wastes posing potential risk to
public health.

viii)

Noise pollution has become a major problem in mega cities like Lahore&
Karachi.

ix)

Energy in-efficiency has become very high. While the Smog seriously affects
almost entire Punjab in December & January every year.

x)

There is no national plan of disaster risk management to cater for

environmental hazards, climate change and ozone depleting substances
impacts.

xi)

11.3.

Lack of institutional capacity with less emphasis on environment in

Government fiscal policies, and insufficient allocation of funds by Provincial
Governments for protection of environmental areas of forestry, biodiversity,
water and sanitation

Environment Strategy

The efforts made so far in Pakistan in forwarding the environmental agenda from
being seen as a stand-alone topic to the one that identifies itself as an integral element of the
national mainstream development agenda, must be recognized and built upon. Indeed, the
conservation agenda has made considerable headway by making explicit links to the
simultaneous pursuit of economic prosperity, poverty eradication and environmental
conservation to be not only possible but also necessary. While the unambiguous role that a
healthy natural resource base plays in sustaining economic growth and productivity is
increasingly recognized, nevertheless this linkage has not received appropriate attention in
the mainstream development agenda. During the period of MTDF 2005-10, the maintenance
of a healthy natural resource base as a basis for sustaining economic growth will be
addressed through increased awareness and ownership of this goal by the key economic
stakeholders, in public and private sectors.
At the same time the linkages between poverty reduction and environmental
conservation have to be better understood. Environment matters greatly to those people
living in poverty. This recognition has led to the formal adoption of poverty-environment
linkages in the Pakistan Poverty Reduction Strategy, which makes explicit the links between
environment to livelihoods, health and vulnerability of the poor. Poverty-environment
linkages have to be at the core if Pakistan is to achieve Millennium Development Goals and
the targets set at the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
Another strategic measure to protect the poor man from diseases due to drinking of
contaminated water, is the initiation of a Clean Drinking Water for All Programme. The MTDF
aims to implement it on fast track basis, besides: (i) improving water and sanitation
management to reduce the inefficient use of water, excessive groundwater pumping; and (ii)
reducing water pollution by urban and industrial users through the on-site or combined
wastewater treatment and reuse.
The MTDF 2005-10 has been prepared with the long-term objective of attaining
sustainable economic growth without environmental degradation. It identifies countrys
specific priorities and addresses them within the framework of comprehensive national
strategies for sustainable development as well as Millennium Development Goals,
Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and Water, Energy, Health, Agriculture and
Biodiversity Framework.
The MTDF strategy is that the future environment conservation, management and
use must be based on a three-pronged approach equitable sharing of benefits of
environmental management, increasing community management of natural resources, and
integrating environmental issues into socio-economic development planning to achieve
sustainable development.
11.4.

Issues, Recommendations and Programmes

As already stated, there is a strong nexus between poverty and environment.

Increasing Poverty in the natural resource (Forests, Wildlife etc.) areas has been recognized as a

major factor for their deterioration and has a similar role in environment degradation. The
productivity of eco-systems through regulating the water, conserving energy, environmental
health and livelihood supports, eradicates the poverty. Eco-systems protection and
development are also essential to achieve Millennium Development Goals for Poverty
Alleviation, because the poor who have few other assets depend on eco-systems directly.
This is more necessary as that the poor are also vulnerable to environmental disasters and
the impacts of climate change.
Therefore, investment in eco-system services would be arranged to reduce the
poverty and improve the health of poor. The poverty reduction measures include pro-poor
fiscal reforms for improving the environment will also through (i) tax rationalisation and
environmental improvement at district level, and (ii) pro-poor fiscal measures to improve
the environment in related sectors through building coalitions around fiscal issues for
irrigation water, industrial cleaner production and waste water treatment, at the waste
water, federal, provincical and local budgets, annual and five year development perspective
plans and poverty reduction strategy process.
Considering the multi-sectoral implications of environmental concerns and
programmes, the sub-sectoral issues, the MTDF recommendations, and programmes are
explained in the Annex I, separately for Brown-, Green- and Cross-sectoral environment.
Effective implementation of these doable recommendations is necessary to achieve the
required growth in environment sector. The programmes/projects proposed by the MTDF
Working Group on Environment in consultation with Provincial Governments and other
stakeholders, are prioritized in a descending order in a mix of different types of
regulatory/policy actions. The Ministry of Environment has to own these and remove the
capacity constraints. The HRD and capacity building projects can be commenced early during
first-half of the MTDF, while the large programmes will commence during second half of the
MTDF.
11.5.

Environmental Targets

Keeping in view the MTDF recommendations & action plans, the following
environmental targets have been fixed for next five years (2005-10).
Table I
S.
No
1

2
3
4
5

Environmental Indicators

Forest cover including State and private

forests/farmlands (%age of total land
area)
Area protected for conservation of wildlife
(as %age of total area)
GDP (at constant factor cost) per unit of
energy use as a proxy for energy efficiency
Energy production from renewable forms
of energy (wind, solar,
No. of petrol& diesel vehicles using CNG
fuel

Year 200405

2009-10
Targets

4.9%

5.2%

2015
MDG
Targets
6.0%

11.3%

11.6%

12.0%

27,000
MW
17 MW

27,600 MW

28,000 MW

880 MW

--

380,000

800,000

920,000

S.
No
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

13
14
15

11.6.

Environmental Indicators

Access to sanitation (national)%

Access to clean water (national)%
Clean Drinking Water for All (%)
No of industries registered for self
monitoring/reporting program
Number of continuous air pollution
monitoring stations
%age of Sulphur (by wt.) in high speed
diesel
Number of regional offices of
Environmental Protection Agencies
Consumption/import of ozone depleting
substances in metric tons:
a) CFC
b) Halons
c) Solvents/CTC
Sanitary landfill in major cities
Functional Environment Tribunals
Improvement of Katchi Abadis/Slums

Year 200405

2009-10
Targets

42
65
10
30

50
76
100
300

2015
MDG
Targets
90
93
100
--

--

0.5

0.5 to 0.25

16

839.7
2.3
56
0
2
60%

0
0
0
2
4
75%

-----95%

Projects and Financial Outlay

In order to achieve the MTDF objectives and goals, it is necessary to enhance the
Public Sector Development Programme allocations, besides providing necessary incentives
to the private sector for making considerable investment in environment projects.
Environmental improvement and mitigation efforts will be consistent, vigorous,
concentrated and integrated to ensure the halting of further degradation of natural resources
and pollution of water and air. This requires a sizeable level of investment during 2005-10.
The MTDF Working Group on Environment keeping in view the pressing demands for
development of infrastructure and social sectors, has adopted a modest and rational policy
approach in selection of 146 projects.
A major MTDF initiative taken by the Government is the provision of clean drinking
water to almost entire population of the country. A Clean Drinking Water for All
Programme would be implemented to complete by 2008. by installing the standardized
water purification plants at convenient places (mosques, schools, hospitals, dispensaries,
Thanas, petrol pumps and fire stations) in urban and rural areas. A provision of Rs 6.5
billion has been made under the MTDF to implement it with participatory approaches and
active involvement of the Local Governments, who will become owner of the plants. Rs. 2
billion have been earmarked in Federal PSDP 2005-06 to immediately commence the
implementation of this Programme by the Ministry of Environment.
The MTDF (2005-10) has also earmarked additional Rs 18.30 billion to implement other
environmental programmes during 2005-10, as prioritized by the MTDF Working Group on
Environment.. This includes Rs 8.20 billion for implementing 65 No. brown environment
projects; Rs 8 billion for 45 No. green environment and forestry projects: and Rs 2.10 billion

for 36 No. cross- sectoral activities to effectively integrate the environment into national
development process, besides the human resource development, environmental education and
research. During 2005-06, Rs. 2.30 billion would be earmarked including Rs.1.20 billion to
implement the federal forestry and biodiversity projects along with the environment capacity
building schemes, and Rs. one billion for the Provincial Governments to accelerate
implementation of their ongoing projects and to initiate new environmental activities.
Based on the above discussed allocations for the Clean Drinking Water for All
Programme and other priority environment projects, the overall financial outlay for
Environment MTDF 2005-10 has increased from the last five years total PSDP allocation of
above Rs 5. 50 billion (both federal and provincial) to Rs 28.307 billion (1.4% share of total
national MTDF). In the national PSDP 2005-06, Rs. 4.30 billion have been earmarked including
Rs 2 billion for Clean Drinking Water for All Programme plus Rs 2.30 billion to undertake
other priority environment projects by the Ministry of Environment.
In case of the private sector, increased number of environment related activities and
projects will be initiated focusing on environmental education and awareness as well as the
conservation of natural resources and pollution/emissions control, through the greater
involvement of all stakeholders including development entrepreneurs by dedicated natural
resources use control and providing environmental pollution mitigation incentives; the
communities and NGOs through intensive awareness drives; and the increased foreign
donor grant assistance.
Table 2
(Rs billion)
Sr.No
1

2
3
4
5

Project/Programme
Clean Drinking Water
for All Programme and
other Initiatives
Brown Environment
(65 Projects)
Green Environment
(45 Projects)
Cross Sectoral Areas
(10 Projects)
HRD/Capacity Building
(26 Projects)
Total (146 Projects)

Total
10.00

FEC
-

Federal
10.00

Provincial
-

8.20

3.00

6.00

2.20

8.00

1.50

7.00

1.00

1.00

1.00

1.10

0.50

1.00

0.10

28.30

5.00

25.00

3.10

Note: The detailed list of Environmental Projects along with estimated costs and
proposed allocations are given in the Report of MTDF (2005-10) Working Group on
Environment.

Annex I
Sub-sectoral Issues &
Bottlenecks
BROWN
ENVIRONMENT
i) Water
Water resources are
not
sustainably
managed resulting in
Water scarcity.
Poor
quality
of
drinking water due to
degradation of water
catchments areas due
to human settlement,
rapid
physical
developments
and
lack
quality
monitoring.
Major municipal and
industrial wastes and
agricultural run off in
water bodies.
Widespread
hazardious
bacteriological
and
chemical
contamination
of
water.
Less then 90 % of
people have access to
clean drinking water.
No recognition of the
economic contribution
and social important
of the environmental
water flows into the
sea as escapages.
Due to uncontrolled
direct disposal of
waste water and solid
wastes,
the
river
pollution has affected
the quality of water
both
for
human
consumption
and
aqua-life.

Recommendations &
Pre-requisites

Programmes & Action

Plan
2005-10

Formulate national drinking

water policy.
In line with Government of
Pakistans commitment to
WEHAB & WSSD as well as
Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs), provide
access to Clean Drinking
Water to all citizens with
emphasis on poor.
Encourage
Local
Governments to engage in
strategic partnerships with
communitybased
organizations
(CBOs),
NGOs
and
other
stakeholders, to pursue
precautionary water quality
management with focus on
pollution minimization.
Ensure monitoring of the
quality
of
water
at
reservoirs;
protect
the
reservoirs
through
watersheds
management
and provide guidance with
technology transfer in water
conservation.
Notify national drinking
water quality standards and
accordingly update NEQS.
Pollution of water bodies
including rivers should be
monitored and controlled
through
effective
mechanisms,
by
all
stakeholders.

Continuously
monitor
the system for water
analysis to ensure better
water quality.
Implement on fast track
basis
the
Clean
Drinking Water for All
Programme throughout
Pakistan to serve entire
population
and
effectively manage such
systems
with
mechanisms for their
sustainable O&M.
Control arsenic pollution
of groundwater in Sindh
and Punjab through
specific
initiatives
including investigative
studies and awareness
raising programmes.
Promote and devise
methods for collecting
the rain water using lowcost structures
Increase
the
environmental
allocations of the water,
keeping a balance with
the water allocation for
agriculture.
Pilot
projects
for
controlling the pollution
of rivers including Swat
River in large water
bodies
should
be
launched, in order to
protect river ecosystems
and promote tourism.

Sub-sectoral Issues &

Bottlenecks
ii) Sanitation and Slums
In major cities, around
40% population is
living in Kat chi
Abadis/Slums.
Around 65% of urban
people have sanitation
facilities, with unsafe
disposal of excreta
away
from
the
dwelling units.
Disposal
of
wastewater
is
generally
through
open drains, directly
on roads, or directly in
to the waterways.
Sewage
plants
installed
in
metropolitan cities of
the
country
are
operating
only
intermittently or under
capacity.
Main waterways are
receiving
waste
volumes larger than
their
assimilative
capacity.
Most of the people are
unaware
of
the
relationship between
unsafe excreta disposal
and diarrhea.

Recommendations &
Pre-requisites

Programmes & Action Plan

2005-10

The MDGs targets to achieve

significant improvement in
the lives of slums dwellers
through regularization and
improvement
of
Katchi
Abadis.
Establish
and
enforce
standards for receiving treated
wastewater in water bodies,
and launch programmes for
cleaning up and gradual upgradation of quality of water
bodies.
Conduct water audits at local
levels and ensure the proper
maintenance of sewerage and
water supply lines to prevent
leakages and mixing.
Establish urban waste water
treatment plants for reuse/recycling.

Katchi
Abadis
regularization
&
improvement programme
be
vigorously
implemented to serve
75% slum dwellers.
Launch
national
sanitation policy and
action plans by provincial
governments.
Encourage/promote
Public Toilets in all urban
centers
Establish public-privatecivil society collaborative
arrangements
for
awareness raising and
bringing an attitudinal
change.
Establish and effectively
manage
effluent
treatment
mechanisms
such as the municipal
wastewater
treatment
plants; combined effluent
treatment plants; etc.
Adopt
domestic
wastewater
treatment
technologies that provide
for recovery and reuse of
water.
Encourage recycling and
reuse of municipal and
industrial wastewater.

iii) Air Pollution

In the aim very high
levels of suspended
particulate matter are
present (about 6 times
higher than the World
Health Organizations
guidelines).
About 16.28 million
Pakistanis (40% of total
urban population) are
under risk of air
pollution, which is
costing Rs. 25.7 billion
every year on account
of health merely by not
complying with the
WHO Ambient Air
Quality Standards.
This
results
in
extended
winter
fog/smog in many
areas lasting for 2-3
weeks causing health
problems
and
economic loss.
Air
pollution
has
direct affects on health,
climate
change,
vegetation,
rainfall
patterns
and
ecosystem.

Substitute
the
higher
emissions fuels with low
emission fuels for stationery
and non-stationery uses.
Initiate continuous air quality
monitoring
programme,
under NEQS.
Prepare a Transport Policy to
address air pollution issues
and take steps to improve
traffic engineering in major
cities.
Introduce inter-city mass
transit systems in major cities.
Provide economic incentives
for cleaner production and
technologies.
Reduce sulphur content in
local diesel from 1% to 0.2%,
and in imported diesel from
0.5% to 0.05%. Also limit
sulphur content of imported
furnace oil to 2%.

Launch the vehicular

emission
and
fuel
efficiency standards
Introduction of urban
mass transport in 5 cities
Karachi,
Lahore,
Peshawar, Faisalabad and
Hyderabad.
Local Governments and
City
Administrations
shall stop burning of
municipal solid waste in
their areas of jurisdiction.
CNG fitted vehicles and
buses will be encouraged.
Exempt air pollution
abatement
equipment
from customs duty.
Allow
industries
to
operate only in proper
industrial
estates.
Industries
located in
residential areas should
be shifted.
Create awareness on air
pollution issues within
the
transport
and
industrial sectors.
All industrial units shall
undertake
mitigative
measures to reduce the
pollution of all types.
Role of regulators and
EPAs will be enhanced
through strict regulations,
aiming for environmental
protection
without
compromising
The growth prospects of
economy.

iv) Solid Wastes

Urban
areas
of
Pakistan
generate
about 54,850 tons of
solid waste daily.
Solid
Waste
(SW)
management
is
becoming a complex
task
because
of
increasing population.
SW Collection capacity
of
the
District
Governments is too
less than the volume
generated. About 60%
of municipal solid
waste
is
collected
while rest remains
unattended
along
roadsides.
Segregation of the
hazardous
components
from
domestic waste is
almost non-existing.

Promote
and
practise
Integrated
Solid
Waste
Management by application of
appropriate, technologies and
management programmes.
Establish
effective
SW
Management systems in all
major cities
Promote
installation
composting
plants
and
generation of energy from
waste by the private sector.
Promote the hierarchy of
waste
management
(i.e.,
reduce,
reuse,
recycle,
recover) and encourage waste
separation.
Strengthen
capacity
of
especially
City/District
Governments, to deal with
solid wastes issues effectively.

Launch
the
pilot
community level SWM
projects (e.g. related to
segregation,
collection,
composting,
recycling
and disposal etc.).
Promote
partnerships
between civil society,
private
sector
and
Government institutions
for more efficient SWM.
Award recycling the
status of an industry to
formalize this important
link in the process of
waste minimization.
Also, exempt recycling
machinery from customs
duty.
Initiate a nationwide
awareness campaign on
littering.
Establish at least two new
scientifically
designed
landfill sites in the
country.
Issue of eradication or
replacement of plastic
shopping bags would be
tackled on priority

v) Hazardous Wastes
There is lack of Formulate
an
Integrated
management
of
Hazardous
Waste
hazardous wastes and
Management
Strategy
to
absence of monitoring
ensure
their
proper
mechanism for transmanagement
in
an
boundary movement
environmentally
sound
of hazardous wastes in
manner.
Pakistan.
Develop
regulatory
and
Medical wastes, e.g.
institutional framework for
disposable
plastic
effective implementation of
needles, syringes and
IHWMS.
chemical and large
stocks
of
obsolete
pesticides
are
not
properly disposed off,
resulting
in
accumulation of heavy
metals in soil and
contamination.

vi) Noise Pollution

Transport Sector is the Formulate a Noise Reduction
major source of noise
and Control Policy, at national
along
with
heavy
level.
industry & power
sector.
In major cities, noise
levels are much higher
than the desirable
limits on account of
pressure horns / faulty
silencers & poorly
maintained
motor
engines.

Build capacity in all EPAs

and related institutions to
effectively
regulate
hazardous substances/
wastes.
Finalize
rules
on
hazardous substances/
wastes under section 14
of PEPA, 1997.
Create
inventory
of
hazardous wastes by
origin,
quantity,
description, composition
and hazardousness at the
local, provincial and
national level, imported
or exported.
Collect and disseminate
information on proven
environmentally sound
technologies/processes
for proper handling of
hazardous wastes.
Effectively manage noise
pollution at sources.
Enact
noise
control
standards with policy
initiatives
to
set-up
silence zones
Adapt low noise emitting
technology / equipment
policy
Industries should practice
insulation and buffering
of high noise areas.

GREEN
ENVIRONMENT
vii) Forestry & Watershed
Management
Acute shortage of
financial resources for
forestry programmes/
projects.
Forestry institutions at
provincial and federal
levels
are
facing
professional
and
administrative crises.
Outdated as well as
weak implementation
of
the
forestry
legislation.
Increased population
pressure has depleted
the forestry resources.
Non-existence
of
forestry research based
on ground realities.
Lack of awareness
campaign
No
significant increase in
forest cover since 30
years.
Heavy soil erosion
caused by large-scale
deforestation
in
northern
mountain
regions leading to
Siltation
of
major
water reservoirs.

Review
the
policy
of
imposition of ban on cutting
of trees for commercial
purposes.
Promote social forestry and
integrated
watershed
management, as per the
Devolution Plan of LGO 2001.
Forest working plans should
be based on integrated
ecosystem management rather
than timber harvesting and
exploitation of non-timber
forest products
Review
existing
forest
legislation |& administrative
set-up.
Provide additional financial
and human resources to the
provincial and federal forestry
institutions
Large-scale afforestation be
done on State, community and
private lands to increase forest
cover.
Modernizing
forestry
database,
research
and
professional skill development
Involving local communities
in forestry operations
Identifying environmentally
sound, socially acceptable and
cheapalternate energy sources
as substitute to wood in
construction and furniture.
For fuel wood consumption
reduction promote LPG use in
Northern/ Hilly areas.

Carry
out
intensive
institutional and legal
reforms in forestry both
at
the federal
and
provincial levels
Revise and prescribe
forest working plan on
the basis of integrated
ecosystem management
approach.
Prepare projects and
programmes
for
protection of existing
forests and restoration of
depleted
state,
community, and private
owned forests
Prepare
income
generation
forestry
projects based on ecotourism,
recreation
opportunities
and
sustainable use of nontimber forest products.
Prepare programmes for
further enhancement of
alternate energy sources
and timber substitutes.
Launch
integrated
watershed management
projects
to
control
Siltation in the Mangla
and Tarbela Reservoirs.
For better management of
forests,
their
duel
ownership with BOR and
Provincial
Forest
Departments as well as
the
legal
status
of
Reserved and Protected
Forests be decided.
Soil
Forestry
be
undertaken
by
the
Districts contents as per
the devolved set-up.

Sub-sectoral Issues &

Bottlenecks
viii) Biodiversity
Loss,
fragmentation
and degradation of
natural
habitatsis
rapidly underway.
In-effective
management of parks
and protected areas
Lack of biodiversity
inventories
and
monitoring systems
Limited resources and
institutional capacity
Depletion
of
population of many
species.
Gaps in knowledge,
lack of information
and
database
of
threatened
and
endangered species at
provincial and federal
levels.

Recommendations &
Pre-requisites

Programmes & Action Plan

2005-10

Use Pakistans Biodiversity

Action Plan as the umbrella
document for planning and
management.
Involve local communities in
conservation and sustainable
use of biodiversity through
incentives
and
fixing
responsibilities.
Develop Bio-safety guidelines
with the supporting legal
framework.
Ensure representation of all
ecosystems/biodiversity
hotspots in protected areas.

Develop the National

Biodiversity Policy for
implementation at federal
and provincial levels.
Enhance
capacity
building in biodiversity
related research.
Develop and implement
Protected Area System
Plan.
Develop
national
database of threatened
and endangered species.
Encourage
captive
breeding of endangered
species to promote ex-situ
conservation
of
biodiversity.

ix) Rangeland
Management
Absence of proper Rangelands
shall
be
management system
managed on the basis of
for
rangelands
in
multiple land use and
Pakistan.
environmental
Weak legislation for
conservation concept for
controlling rangelands.
the
benefit
of
rural
communities.
Rangelands are mostly
ill
defined,
ill Priority shall be given to
demarcated
and
rehabilitation of degraded
degraded.
rangelands, especially in
arid and semi-arid regions
Lack of integrated
with the participation of
approach
towards
rangeland
local communities.
management.
Maintaining a good ground
cover
for
retaining
Reduced productivity
of arid rangelands
maximum rainwater on the
caused
by
heavy
grazing
lands
and
grazing pressure and
providing
protection
utilization
of
against wind and water
rangelands
beyond
erosion.
their carrying capacity.

Enact the legislation to

provide
legal
instruments
and
support to range land
management.
Rangelands
be
managed on the basis
of
participatory
integrated approach &
multiple land uses.
Extend ground cover
for
retaining
maximum rainwater
on the grazing lands
protect against wind
and water erosion.
Prescribe
grazing
regimes on the basis of
local
ecology and
practices of managing
rangelands.
Improve range conditions
through
scientific
management
and
restoration
of
native
grasses and other forage
species.
Persuade
farmers
to
practice controlled and
rotational grazing.

x) Desertification
Large-scale
Develop strategies to tackle
desertification due to
desertification
problems
improper land use,
and promote sustainable
uncontrolled livestock
land
management
grazing, and illegal
interventions
removal of vegetation. Discourage ground water
Water logging, salinity
harvesting for irrigation in
and sodicity are on the
water stress areas.
increase.
Encourage integrated pest
Over-exploitation
of
management/bio-fertilizers
ground
water
instead of chemicals.
resources
in
the
western
dry
mountains
of
Balochistan
causing
server water scarcity.
xi) Marine Pollution
Pollution from the oil
spills and land based
effluents and solid
waste discharges, are
impacting the marine
environment.
Economic loss and
health hazards are
spreading
due
to
marine pollution.
Poor capabilities of
relevant Institutions to
combat marine oil
spills.
Sub-standard of local
shipping in Pakistan.
Mangroves and River
are depleting due to
water
scarcity,
drought, pollution, sea
water
intrusion,
resulting
into
ecosystem
degradation.

Undertake
integrated
coastal zone and inland
management
planning,
keeping
in
view
all
existing,
planned
and
potential
marine
developments
in
environment
friendly
manner.

Launch a national
sustainable&
management project to
combat desertification.
Enforce
soil
conservation
measures.
Promote
rainwaterharvesting techniques.
Rehabilitate
degraded
rangelands.
Reclaim waterlogged and
saline lands with the
involvement of local
communities/private
sector.

Enhance capabilities of
relevant institutions to
combat marine oil spills
Improve local shipping
standards in Pakistan as
per the International Ship
Quality
Assurance
Systems,
for
safe
operations of marine oil.
Restore the degraded
mangroves & marine
system.
Install effluent treatment
plants to stop entering of
the land based sources of
pollution into the sea.
Protect
the
marine
environment of public
beaches
and
launch
public
awareness
programme.

CROSS SECTORAL
PROJECTS
xii) Inter-sectoral
Environmental
planning is mired by
the inconsistent and
scattered nature of
information
on
environment,
poor
coordination
of
information/experienc
es and contradictory
and unreliable data.
Lack of cross-sectoral
linkages,
and
integrated planning.
Poor enforcement of
NEQS and PEPA-1997.

Integrate environment into

sect oral policies and decisionmaking
processes
for
attainment of sustainable
development.
Strategic
Environmental
Assessment
(SEA),
Environmental
Accounting
(EA), and Environmental
Information
Management
(EIM) systems should be
recognized as important tools
for
integrating
the
environment into decisionmaking at all levels.
Implement
environmental
rules
&
regulations
in
prosecution
against
the
polluters and the cases on
non-compliance.
Timeframe for review of the
EIA should be reduced to
avoid disillusionment of the
industrialist and investors.
Motivate the Ulema and
Khateebs
as
affective
advocacy tool for raising
environmental awareness and
education.

Green Statements of the

environment institutional
roles
of
Federal,
Provincial and Local
Government be made and
publicized widely.
Environment concerns be
catered
for
in
the
development
planning
processes of all sectors of
economy
particularly
agriculture,
water,
energy, industries, trade,
population,
transport,
physical
planning,
housing, poverty and
gender.
Integrate environmental
accounting
in
the
National
Accounts
System.
Establish inter-ministerial
and
inter-provincial
linkages of Planning
Commission and Ministry
of
Environment
for
remedial action plans and
mechanism
on
environmental issues.

All objections of projects

EIAs should be conveyed
to the proponent within 30
days and NOC should be
issued after the stipulated
time of 90 days. The cases
on which the decisions are
not communicated within
that period be deemed to
have been approved.
Establish
powerful
enforcement and legal
units in all EPAs, and
initiate actions on the
basis of findings and
assessment of technical
solutions.

xiii) Climate Change &

Multilateral
Environmental
Agreements
Though Pakistan is
signatory to a number
of
Multilateral
Environmental
Agreements (MEAs), it
lacks
appropriate
action plans awareness
and education to fully
implement the same.
Lack of golobal change
early
warning
&
monitoring system in
Pakistan.
Lack of research and
mitigation plan to
combat climate change.
De-glaciation
of
northern Pakistan will
fhave
serious
consequences for water
availability in Indus
basin.
Change/reduction in
winter and monsoon
precipitation
and
irregular change in
seasonal temperature,
impacting crop growth
and snow melt.
Absence of disaster
risk management plan.

Effectively
meet
the
Pakistans obligations under
MEAs.
Mathematical modeling of
climate changes be done in
respect of crop production,
watershed,
water
management,
air-quality,
affluent dispersal; etc.
Prepare a National Plan for
Disaster Risk Management.
In
energy
sector,
environmental consideration
to control erosion of GHG
and particulates be given.

Prepare feasible action

plans to fulfill the
Pakistans international
obligations
in
environment sector.
Meet
the
global
commitment
through
enhancing
capacity
building of the relevant
institutions.
Monitor continuously the
movement of glaciers in
northern Pakistan;
Evaluate the economic
impacts
of
climate
change.
Establish the disaster risk
management centres.
Goal of reducing GHG
emissions be achieved to
access
the
Carbon
Financing,
to
bring
significant
additional
resources to environment
sector.

Sub-sectoral Issues &

Bottlenecks
xiv) Energy Conservation
& Renewables
Energy resources are
bing
used
extravagantly.
Energy intensity for
production of goods
and
services
in
Pakistan is amongst
the highest in the
world.
Potential for renewable
energy has remained
largely unutilized in
the country.

Recommendations &
Pre-requisites

Programmes & Action Plan

2005-10

Formulate and enact energy

conservation legislation and
audit standards at national
level.
Already approved Building
Energy Code of Pakistan
should be made a part of the
Building Code of Pakistan and
its
implementation made
mandatory.
Energy
efficient
imports
should have a preferential
status over inefficient imports.
Reduce dependence on nonrenewable forms of energy by
increasing energy generation
through renewable forms.

Undertake
mandatory
EIA of new power plants
and monitor of emissions
according to established
standards.
Determine energy pricing
that reflect real cost
accounting for adverse
impact
on
the
environment.
Promote renewable forms
of energy (wind, solar,
bio-gas etc.) that their
share in total national
power generation is at
least 10% by 2015.
Promote Government and
private
sector
partnerships
for
development
of
renewable
energy
resources.
Develop
alternative
energy means to fuel
wood.
Promote wind energy
along the coastal belt of
Balochistan and Sindh
and
to
abstract
groundwater for drinking
purposes
in
drought
affected areas.
Promote
solar
water
heating systems at the
household level to same
energy, and Solar water
de-salination plants in
areas having brackish
ground water.

Sub-sectoral Issues &

Bottlenecks
xv) Human Resource
Development
Lack of a broader
view of capacity
building
that
includes sectoral
development rather
than
merely
individual
development
through
one-off
seminars
or
training sessions of
capacity building.

Lack
of
involvement of all
those with a stake in
environment not just
the
Governmental
ministries
and
departments.

Recommendations &
Pre-requisites

Programmes & Action

Plan
2005-10

Strengthening of existing training

institutions with infrastructure and
technical manpower development.
Establishment of strong liaisons at
inter- and intra- provincial level in
order to exchange the success
stories
of
various
training
programmes.

Conduct
a
comprehensive
training
need
assessment of relevant
institutions personnel
at federal, provincial,
district and tehsil
levels.
Design
and
implement
short,
medium and longterm in-country and
overseas
training
programmes in line
with the findings of
TNA.
Train the trainers in
all
areas
of
environment.

xvi)Environmental
Education,
Awareness &
Research
Lack of coordination
in the work of
various
agencies,
limited
technical
expertise and trained
environment
teachers, less focus
on integration of
environment in the
informal education,
poor communication
strategy and limited
resource material on
environment.
Research base in
environment
remains narrow with
most of
research
activities
on
monitoring
and
situation assessment
instead of technology
development
and
innovations.
Lack of qualified
researchers
and
laboratories, limited
availability
of
financial support for
research
in
environment.

Launch programmes to integrate

the environment in formal as well
as informal education sector.
Provide support to universities and
research
and
development
institutions for organization of
scientific
conferences/seminars/symposia on
environment, besides augmenting
the environmental areas research.

Provide support to
schools
for
establishment
of
environmental clubs.
Launch a programme
to raise environmental
awareness
of
the
general
public,
especially in rural
areas.
Translate government
environment related
material
and
publications in Urdu
and distribute widely.
Provide grants to
research institutions
for undertaking need
based research in
priority
environment.areas
.Support
research
organization(s)
to
launch
a
peerreviewed
research
journal
on
environment
for
promotion
and
dissemination
of
quality research.
Develop a database on
environment related
publications
in
Pakistan.