Advisor to Prime Minister on Industries Basharat Raja has stressed the need for ensuring universal access to sustainable energy as this is pre-requisite to achieving sustainable development and driving new models of economic growth.
National Productivity Organization (NPO) in collaboration with United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Pakistan organized a workshop on projects for “Sustainable Energy Initiatives for Industries in Pakistan” under GEF funding in collaboration with government of Pakistan. Basharat Raja said that government supports initiatives carried out by UNIDO and NPO. He said that energy stands at the forefront of the complex and interconnected challenges that define our increasingly globalized world.
Alois Posekufa Mhlanga , UNIDO Project Director, congratulated all the stakeholders of coming together at single platform and realize this important agenda. He said that the United Nations Secretary General (UNSG), Mr. Ban Ki-moon has declared 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for all.
He said that Energy is like a golden thread that connects economic growth, increase social equity and creates an environment that allows the world to thrive.
Khawaja Muhammad Yousuf, CEO-NPO said that NPO through its energy audits has been successfully been saving energy cost of various industries to 15 per cent and thus this mindset need to be created among masses. He said that energy efficiency is more important than energy generation. Adding he said that UNIDO-NPO partnership has always been in favor due to the aligned mandate of both institutions. NPO and UNIDO are working on multiple projects for promoting and accelerating sustainable industrial development in Pakistan.
Ghazala Raza who represents GEF Pakistan said that there is a need to seek market environment in which usage of renewable energy is promoted by adopting energy efficient technologies with defined measurements in Pakistani Industries.
Under this project UNIDO will focus on the industrial sectors to facilitate the sustainable energy projects through developing the policy and regulatory framework on use of EE/RE in Industry, create an investment platform for promoting investments in RE/EE and scaling up the market and establish an accreditation center for energy experts on EMS & Re applications in industry. NPO is being one of the major counterparts with UNIDO since last year as new projects in collaborations are underway.
