Very interesting comments comming from president Zardari today,who has already awarded BGMO with.
BAC is supported by a 20 year power purchase agreement with the Government of Pakistan valued at $ 2,245,000,000 billion US dollars.
ISLAMABAD, Jan 10 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari has said that climate change and environmental issues had occupied international centre stage because they pose major development challenges that call for concerted action. He made these remarks during a briefing on climate change on Saturday.
The briefing was given by Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad, Chairman of the Task Force on Climate Change and Advisor Science and Technology.
It was attended by Kamal Majidullah, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Water Resources and senior officers and federal secretaries of related ministries.
The President said that although the global climate change had been a cause of concern for the past several decades but more recently it had drawn attention of world governments, politicians, scientists and economists.
President Zardari said the issue of climate change had created new challenges in energy efficiency, renewable energy, water use, afforestation, agricultural improvement, power generation and even disaster management.
He advised the government to adopt incentive based policies in all these areas for improving agricultural output increasing afforestation and producing low cost, adequate and environmentally clean power.
He said the best way to involve the people in tackling climate change issues was to develop incentive based policies that attracted private entrepreneur and general public.
The President said that climate change was one of those global issues for the tackling of which international assistance was readily available.
He called for identifying the sources of international funding and cooperation to assist the government in areas such as efficient energy mix, increasing yield per acre and optimizing the use of water.
The President said that developing countries like Pakistan would pay a heavy price tomorrow for inaction today. Decisions delayed are not problems avoided but are crises invited, the President added.
President Zardari also called for studies to determine the most efficient, economical and environmentally clean energy mix for Pakistan.
He said that studies carried out in the past in these area should be examined and implemented wherever practicable.
The President also called for following up on the Environmental Protection Act that was passed by the Parliament about 15 years ago, he said.
He said that a strategy should also be devised for educating public opinion in the climate change and environmental issues to help implement the decisions made in these areas.
He said that climate change and degradation of environment was not only a challenge but also an opportunity and advised the government to explore the opportunities it offered.
The President also said that such meetings should be held regularly to review what has been done, what requires to be done and what more can be done.
He also suggested to search for models in other countries that can be emulated in Pakistan.
He particularly identified water scarcity, land use and minimizing damage to environment as the areas where Pakistan can seek and adopt models from other countries.
Earlier Dr. Ishfaq Ahmed in his briefing explained that 8 working groups had been formed with 40 subject specialists on climatology, water, agriculture, energy, international cooperation for financial and technical Support, economies, communication and awareness raising.
He said that most serious challenges for Pakistan due to climate change were the threats to its water security and food security.
Other challenges identified was increased health risks, increase in deforestation, risks to fragile marine and loss of biodiversity.
The Chairman of the Task Force recommended that Pakistan should devise and implement a National Policy and Plan of Action on Climate Change, with Ministry of Environment as the focal point for coordinating these activities.
He also recommended setting up of a National Council on Climate Change to oversee the efforts in all climate change related areas.
AI
