ESSAY ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND GLOBAL WARMING

1. INTRODUCTION:
Significant strides have been made in Pakistan for forwarding the environmental agenda
from being a stand-alone topic to one identifying itself as an integral element of the national
mainstream development with the recently launched Mid-Term Development Framework for
2005-2010. This also lends itself to address sustainable environmental development as a
vehicle for economic growth. Several policies, plans, programs and projects have been
initiated for environmental protection and conservation in the sectoral areas of water and air
pollution control, land use, forest management, energy efficiency, biodiversity conservation,
and waste management, etc. In addition, Pakistans role in the international community vis-vis its responsibilities for sustainable development has also become known through the
Governments show of commitment for instance on biodiversity, drought and desertification,
and climate change, etc.
Economic Survey (2005-06) stated, Sustainable development remains the cornerstone of
government policies, and the concern for environment, its protection, renewal and
enrichment is recognized as an obligation towards the betterment of all citizens. Concerns of
environment sustainability are integrated in the countrys development agenda and as a
crosscutting subject, are being addressed in all sectors of economy. The povertyenvironment nexus has been of particular interest in the recent years as poverty in
Pakistan, like in many other middle-income countries, plays an important role in increasing
the vulnerability of the poor to pollution and environmental degradation.
From formulating the National Conservation Strategy to becoming a signatory to many
international conventions/protocols/agreements, Pakistan has emerged as an active and
responsible player for environmental conservation. This responsiveness to global and
national environmental challenges has been supported through legislation, policy making
and creating institutional set up. National Environment Action Plan (NEAP) that was initiated
with the approval of the Pakistan Environment Protection Council and the UNDP funded,
NEAP Support Program (NEAP-SP) remains the flagship initiative of the Government of
Pakistan in the environment area. NEAP-SP focuses on a healthy environment and a
sustainable livelihood by improving the quality of air, water and land with civil society
cooperation. In this regard, the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) and the
Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) have already been made mandatory for public sector
development projects.
2. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT POLICY:
One of the major achievements of NEAP-SP during 2005-06 was the formulation of the
National Environmental Policy 2005 which has been approved by the Federal Cabinet. The
countrys first ever Environmental Policy compliments the objectives of NEAP-SP and
addresses the sectoral issues such as (a) water management and conservations, (b) energy
efficiency and renewable, (c) agriculture and livestock, (d) forestry and plantation, (e)
biodiversity and protected areas, (f) climate change, air quality and noise, and (g) pollution
and waste management.
The policy also addresses other cross-sectoral issues such as (a) Population and
Environment, (b) Gender and Environment, (c) Health and Environment, (d) Trade and
environment, (e) Poverty and Environment and (f) Environment and Local Government.
NEAP-SP has also launched a number of Environment related projects in Wind Power,
Energy Conservation, Micro Hydro, Juniper Forests, Chilghoza Forests, through its partners
namely the Ministry of Water and Power, AEDB, Ministry of Science and technology and the
Ministry of Education. In the water sector, Pakistan is faced with severe water shortages
and water quality issues. The orientation of the water management institutions and experts

is largely toward harnessing the resource in the service of economic growth, and not
towards its conservation or quality. In addition, severe levels of water pollution and
unchecked industrial pollutants being released in water bodies have added an immediate
measure status to water management issues. Similarly, although making headway in
addressing ambient air quality in the country, Pakistan is struggling with ineffective air
quality management systems. Adding to this burden is the fact that at present there is no
continuous monitoring station present in the country and most of the data reported is
obtained from mobile monitoring units or spontaneous on-site sampling with laboratories
based results. A common issue for lack of compliance to water and air quality monitoring
and maintenance has been limited resources and persistent information gap.
Other environmental sectors such as wetlands and mangroves are also faced with a similar
resource crunch and information and data inadequacies thereby negatively effecting the
policy and program implementation. Over fishing and polluted waters are contributing to the
reduction of productivity of the marine and inland fisheries. The precarious condition of
mangroves in coastal zone and the even more precarious status of certain aquatic wildlife
are but a few indicators of the rate of degradation.
3. COLLABORATION WITH INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY:
On the International front, Pakistan is a signatory to a number of Multilateral Environmental
Agreements (MEAs) and has acceded to other non-legally binding instruments such as
Agenda-21 Rio Principles and Johannesburg Plan of Implementation aiming for sustainable
development of natural resources. Among them are the United Nations Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD), Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild
flora and fauna (CITES), United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD),
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Convention on
Migratory Species (CMS), Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Basel Convention on the Control
of Trans-boundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, Rotterdam
Convention on the Prior Informed Consent for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides
in International Trade, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs),
and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
Although constrained by issues such as lack of awareness, technical expertise, institutional
set-up/capacity, coordination among various concerned departments /organizations, and a
clear cut policy and plan of action for each MEA, yet Pakistan has taken several steps to
meet its obligations to the MEAs. Key actions include finalizing the National Implementation
Plan (NIP) to eliminate Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), meeting the targets set by
Montreal Protocol for the elimination of Ozone Depleting Substances, implementing the
Biodiversity Action Plan, finalizing the Action Plan for UNCCD; finalizing the guidelines and
rules for hospital waste management, and regular reporting to UNFCCC through its National
communication.
4. CLEAN DEVELOPMENT MECHANNISM (CDM):
Following the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol in 2006, Pakistan has established the
Designated National Authority (DNA) for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in the
Ministry of Environment. National Operational Strategy for CDM has been approved by the
Prime Minister of Pakistan, which offers all support for attracting investments and
capitalizing the carbon business under the CDM initiative. The CDM Cell is working with
public and private sector partners for attracting investments in energy efficiency, renewable
and alternate energy, industries, forestry and agriculture together with technology transfer
and capacity building. The government of Pakistan has enhanced budgetary allocations for
the environment sector for the period 2005-2010, which will significantly contribute towards
ensuring the environmental sustainability.

5. IMPACT OF POLLUTION:
1) Air
One of the major environmental issues is degradation of ambient air quality particularly in
urban areas. The key factors contributing to air pollution in Pakistan are: a) rapidly growing
energy demand; b) increasing industrial and domestic demand and c) a fast growing
transport sector. In the cities, widespread use of low-quality fuel, combined with a dramatic
expansion in the number of vehicles on roads, has led to significant air pollution problems.
Air pollution levels in Pakistans most populated cities are among the highest in the world
and climbing, causing serious health issues. The levels of ambient particulates smoke
particles and dust, which cause respiratory disease are generally twice the world average
and more than five times as high as in industrial countries and Latin America. Various
surveys show that air pollution levels in cities have either crossed safe limits or have
reached the threshold values.
I. Suspended Particulate Matter:
The most serious issue of air quality in Pakistan is the presence of excessive Suspended
Particulate Matter (SPM) in the ambient air. The major sources of SPM are vehicles,
industry, burning of solid waste, brick kilns and natural dust. The origin of Suspended
Particulate Matter (SPM) may be a natural phenomenon, such as unpaved roads and places
uncovered by green grass or trees. Fine particles size of soil may be raised in the form of
dust cloud by driven motor vehicles and by strong wind blow. Other origins may be
considered coming from artificial emission of SPM such as emission gases including the
particulate matter from the motor vehicles and industrial activities.
II. Vehicular Pollution:
The major source of CO emission and particulate matters is from motor vehicles emission.
In Pakistan, the number of vehicles have jumped from 0.8 million to about 4.0 million within
20 years showing an overall increase of more than 400%. The average compound growth of
vehicles is about 11 percent per annum. Since 1980, the maximum growth has been seen in
2-stroke vehicles such as delivery vans, which are approximately 1,751%, followed by
motorcycles 541% and Rickshaws 159%. Diesel trucks and buses have also increased at an
alarming rate of 200-300% since 1980. Diesel vehicles due to overloading, faulty injection
nozzles and weak engines, emit excessive graphitic carbon (visible smoke). Motorcycles and
rickshaws, due to their two-stroke engines, are the most inefficient in burning fuel and
contribute most to emissions.
2) Water:
Fresh water as a commodity generates concern, being an exhaustible resource and due to
the environmental issues related to its degradation. Preserving the quality and availability of
freshwater resources however, is becoming the most pressing of many environmental
challenges for Pakistan. Perhaps, because water is considered a cheap and readily available
resource, there is not enough appreciation just how much stress human demands for water
are placing on natural ecosystems.
3) Land
Pakistan is predominantly a dry-land country where 80 % of its land area is arid or semiarid, about 12% is dry sub-humid and remaining 8 % is humid. Two-third of Pakistans
rapidly increasing population depends on dry-lands to support their livelihood mainly

through agro-pastoral activities. However, like many other developing countries dry lands in
Pakistan are severely affected by land degradation and desertification due to unsustainable
land management practices and increasing demand of natural resources causing enormous
environmental problems, including degradation of dry-land ecosystems, loss of soil fertility,
flash floods, loss of biodiversity, reduction in land productivity, soil erosion, water logging,
salinity, and many other associated problems. The situation is further aggravated by
scarcity of water, frequent droughts and miss-management of land resources, contributing
to expansion of deserts, reduced productivity and consequently increases in rural poverty.
Moreover, there is limited knowledge of consequences and economic implications of land
degradation, information gaps, and limited institutional capacity to address land degradation
and desertification problems through an integrated land management approach.
Some threats of land degradation are greater than others in terms of their manifestation:
Water logging and salinity as a result of poor irrigation practices affects 14 million ha, while
deforestation and overgrazing affect 11 and 24 million ha, respectively. While the former is
the cause of the most widespread land degradation in river basins (in Sindh and the
Punjab), the latter combine (mostly deforestation, water and wind erosion) to affect the
greater dry land and upland areas (Balochistan, NWFP and parts of Punjab) and do
considerable damage to the integrity of ecosystems and provision of essential ecosystem
services soils, trees, water and biodiversity.
4) Forestry
Pakistan has 4.01 million hectares covered by forests, which is equivalent to about 5% of
the total land area. Eighty five percent of this is a public forest, which includes 40%
coniferous and scrub forests on the northern hills and mountains. The balance is made up of
irrigated plantations and river rain forests along major rivers on the Indus plains, mangrove
forests on the Indus delta and trees planted on farmlands. Though the forest resource is
meager it plays an important role in Pakistans economy by employing half a million people,
providing 363 thousand cubic meters of timber which constitute as one-third of the nations
energy needs. Forests and Rangelands support about 30 million herds of livestock, which
contributes more than US$ 400 million to Pakistans annual export earnings. Forestry sector
plays an important role in soil conservation, regulates flow of water for irrigation and power
generation, reduction of sedimentation in water conveyances and reservoirs, employment
and maintenance of ecological balance.
6. KEY INITIATIVES UNDER THE POLICY:
I. Climate Change Initiatives:
The Government of Pakistan Ratified the Kyoto Protocol earlier this year. A high level
National Committee on Climate Change, chaired by the Prime Minister of Pakistan has been
formed to review policies and monitor progress on climate change initiatives in the country.
An autonomous Global Change Impact Studies Centre has been established that is engaged
in research on impacts and adaptation to climate change in the country. The Centre is now
well equipped with staff and resources and is engaged in model based research on climate
change not only in Pakistan but also at the regional level. Ministry of Environment has been
designated as the Designated National Authority (DNA) for Clean Development Mechanism
(CDM) in the Ministry of Environment.
National operational strategy for CDM has been approved by the Prime Minister, offers all
support for attracting investments and capitalizing the carbon business under the CDM
initiative. CDM Cell has been established for approving and facilitating CDM projects in line
with national sustainable development goals.

II. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy:

Energy efficiency and the Renewable Energy is receiving increased focus in the light of high
current and expected oil prices, Carbon Trading and Climate Change. Alternate Energy
Development Board (AEDB), the focal point of Renewable energy, has formulated an
investment friendly Wind Power Policy and already issued 32 Letters of Interests (LOI) for
setting up of 50 MW wind farms in the Sindh area. The Solar Thermal policy and the energy
conservation policy have been drafted and expected to be formalized in a few months in
consultation with all stakeholders. More recently the CDWP has approved provision of standalone solar electricity for 300 villages in Balochistan and 100 villages in Sindh. AEDB is also
working with the UNDP, GEF and other donors, in the area of Micro Hydro (Productive Use of
Renewable Energy), Wind Mapping, and Energy Efficiency Improvements specially in the
small and medium sized industries.
III. National Land Use and Forestry Programme:
A number of Plans and Policies including the Forest Sector Master Plan, National Forest
Policy, Biodiversity Action Plan and Desertification Combat Action Plan, Maritime Policy and
the Integrated Coastal Zone management Plan has been formulated and are at different
stages of approval. National Forestry Policy has been submitted to the Cabinet for
consideration. The draft policy proposes that the State-owned forests be regenerated and
protected with intimate involvement of local communities in forests management. Local
governments and union councils bring in more private marginal lands under forest cover
within a defined legal framework to avoid alienation of land use. State-owned wastelands
are leased out to tenants for expansion of forest cover from 4.8% to 6% in 2015, in support
of the commitments made by the Government of Pakistan under the MDGs. Currently the
Ministry of Environment is implementing 20 projects, including Tarbela Water Shed Projects;
Mangrove Rehabilitation Project; Ayubia National Park Management Project; Ranage
Management in Potohar track and Rachna Doab Forestry Project.
IV. Water and Sanitation:
The Ministry of Environment has formulated a draft Sanitation Policy, which will be
submitted to the Cabinet for approval after it has been deliberated upon during the 2nd
South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN) being held in Islamabad during the third
quarter of 2006. Under the WES program the Ministry of Environment with the assistance of
UNICEF is preparing a Drinking Water for All policy. Both the policies when implemented
will support Pakistan achieve the targets set for the MDGS.
V. Water and Air quality monitoring:
Under the project Establishment of Environmental Monitoring System Environment
Protection Agency (EPA) with the collaboration of district and local governments will
effectively monitor ambient air quality, urban wastewater and industrial effluent discharge
into rivers/water bodies to check air and water pollution. ECNEC has already approved Rs
1089 Million for the project to be implemented in 5 major cities of Pakistan with assistance
from the Japanese Government.
VI. Bio-safety Guidelines:
Pakistan Bio-safety Rules- 2005 have been approved and they address the complex issue
of genetically modified living organisms (GMOs). Under the rules, specific licenses will be
required for the import, export production of experimentation with the GMO.
VII. Legislation enforcement:
Currently, two tribunals are functioning in Lahore and Karachi. During the coming three
years full financial and manpower support will be extended to make them fully functional to

prosecute environmental violations. Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) and the

Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) are mandatory for the Public Sector Development
Projects, and this program is being extended to the other projects also.
VIII. Programs and Projects:
MTDF allocates Rs. 28.3 Billion in the PSDP for 147 projects to be implemented in 2005 2010 in the environment sector, compared with cumulated total of Rs. 5.5 Billion in the
previous five years. Flagship is the Clean Drinking Water for All 2005-2008 a three year
federal program costing Rs 10.0 Billion. The program will install standardized water
purification plants at convenient places in urban and rural areas. In the Water Supply and
sanitation sector the MTDF proposes a National Drinking Water and Sanitation Policy
focusing on clean drinking water for the entire population, improving /expanding water
service delivery, water conservation and efficiency, and maximizing coverage of sanitation
services. Donor projects and programs outside the PSDP include projects in Wind Power,
Micro Hydro, Energy Efficiency and Conservation, Renewable Energy Development; Dry
Lands and Desertification; Wetlands Management; indoor and outdoor air pollution controls;
and forest rehabilitation and conservation projects.
7. ENVIRONMENTAL FISCAL REFORM:
The environmental fiscal reform (EFR) project launched recently by an international NGO
could lay some misconceptions to rest. Fiscal and environmental issues are often seen to be
mutually exclusive if not contradictory. The reality is that sustainable economic growth and
poverty reduction are dependent in large part on the state of the environment. It has been
noted across the developing world that environmental degradation hits the poor the
hardest. Depletion of forest cover, land erosion and soil contamination lead to loss of
livelihood, as do overfishing, destruction of natural hatcheries and other shocks to the
marine and riverine ecosystems. Water and air pollution have a direct impact on health and
overall quality of life. Social costs aside, an ailing workforce has a bearing on urban and
rural productivity, besides putting additional pressure on a cash-strapped healthcare system
that it is already bursting at the seams.
The scars of environmental degradation are already all too visible in Pakistan. Prolonged
drought and erratic weather are damaging agriculture, the mainstay of the economy. In the
countrys northern areas, ruthless logging by the timber mafia has made landslides a
perennial threat to life and property. Large-scale erosion is also silting our reservoirs and
rivers at a rapid rate, hampering irrigation as well as power generation and increasing the
severity of seasonal floods. Financial managers for whom human misery is not a priority
concern should remember that all this comes at a staggering monetary cost. If root causes
are addressed, recouped revenues and funds currently tied up in damage control could be
channelled towards socially productive avenues. To do this, the emphasis will have to shift
from short-term gains to sustainable development aimed at equitable economic growth and
poverty reduction. The architects of the three-year EFR project hope to engage government
at both federal and provincial levels. That may well be their biggest challenge.