Around Rs 300 million have been set aside for environment sector projects to achieve targets of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and control environmental degradation. The inability to address the environment challenges will result in high cost to economy in future, so it is necessary to improve the country’s capacity to achieve environmentally sustainable economic development to meet modern needs. An official at the Ministry of Climate Change on Tuesday said focus was being given on capacity building of environment-related institutions and human resource development-need projects during this year, which would help in effective implementation of Pakistan Economic Growth Framework (PEGF). The PEGF which highlights environmental degradation as a significant contributor to GDP loss due to air and water pollution, soil degradation and deforestation is to be implemented at federal as well as provincial levels. Listing the details of other projects to be pursued, the official said traditional hazards arising from poor water supply, sanitation and hygiene continue to be the predominant environmental risks to quality of life and health of the citizens, which would be addressed on urgent basis. Moreover, a holistic ecosystem approach of forest management also safeguards other functions, including water and soil conservation, wildlife protection and carbon sequestration. The target of forest cover of 6 percent by 2015, as committed in Millennium Development Goals would be advocated with a meaningful commitment of forestry development programmes by the provinces. He said climate change affects almost all the socio-economic sectors of the society, particularly water resources, energy, health, bio-diversity, with a major impact on agricultural productivity. The institutional setup to tackle the climate change impact would be strengthened and added efforts would be continued to formulate and implement projects for the purpose. Talking about environmental management issues, he said these had become vital not only globally but also in home situation. All major projects and programmes are being provided inbuilt environmental management plan and process for approval and implementation. Provincial authorities have also prepared plans under different environment sector portfolios and allocated required amount for the purpose. The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, sometimes known as Pak-EPA, is an executive agency Government of Pakistan managed by the Ministry of Environment. The agency is charged with protecting human health and the environment by writing and enforcing regulation based on laws passed by Parliament. The Pak-EPA was proposed by the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, and it began operations in 1997 after Parliament passed a law to established a federal executive agency. The agency is led by an appointed director-general, who is appointed by the Prime Minister on the advice of the Minister for Environment. The current director-general is Asadullah Faiz. The Pak-EPA is not a Cabinet department, but the director-general is normally given the cabinet rank.
