Pakistan, China to introduce green economic stimulus: SAPM Aslam

Islamabad: Pakistan is making all-out efforts to include ‘Green (symbolizing pro-environment initiative) into multi-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project to ensure large-scale development never harms natural environment especially in vulnerable areas.

According to the details, Pakistan’s government has already floated a proposal to the Chinese government to change CPEC to CPGEC that would help protect natural ecological settings in the northern areas where glaciers are now melting at faster pace due to increasing temperature. An official said, “The Chinese government has given a positive response and we can hope that protection of natural environment will be at the heart of the CPEC project.”

He said “We have already shelved two coal projects that were using coal at Muzaffargarh and Rahimyar Khan under the CPEC project. New hydro projects of 3,700 MW have been signed instead to pave the way for pro-environment development in the country.”

It is pertinent to mention here that various research reports have pointed out that vehicular traffic involving thousands of trucks and trolleys under CPEC project can have harmful impacts on ecological settings and cause rise in temperature and Glacial Lake Outburst Flooding (GLOF) at vulnerable locations in the northern areas.

The carbon ‘spillage’ due to the construction of road networks is also a matter of grave concern for the environmentalists who have been continuously demanding to focus on sustainable development projects.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam has said, “We have already discussed important issues with the Chinese officials related to bilateral cooperation for post-COVID-19 green economic recovery in Pakistan by enhancing investment in nature-based solutions and green job creations, environmental sustainability, climate resilience, forest management, air pollution, water conservation and disaster risk reduction.”

He informed that the Chinese government is fully committed to extending support to the green vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and his remarkable green initiatives, including Green Stimulus and post-COVID-19 green recovery for restoring livelihood of the people affected by the coronavirus pandemic.