Ayesha Saba

Pakistan’s urban transport sector has long been grappling with various challenges, which can best be tackled by leveraging Chinese experience as Beijing has made significant advancements in achieving sustainable transportation infrastructure over the years, said Dr Talat Shabbir, Director of the China Pakistan Study Centre at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad. Speaking to WealthPK, he said: “Transportation is a critical component of attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). China has become a pioneer in green transportation innovation, as well as a top manufacturer and operational expert in green public transit.” “It has built an innovative ecosystem that includes experienced investors, construction firms, and inventive enterprises that provide both internationally leading and revolutionary transportation and operations.”

He emphasised that Pakistan should learn valuable lessons from China’s experience in green transportation development. However, Pakistan’s unique context should be kept in mind and projects be prioritised that align with the country’s specific needs and goals, he added. “Effective implementation and governance will be crucial to the success of Pakistan’s transportation initiatives.” Talat Shabbir noted that China was already assisting Pakistan in achieving sustainability in the transportation industry under the CPEC by helping with mega projects like Main Line-1 (ML-1), Karakoram Highway, Orange Line, Gwadar Port and other endeavours, which were effective examples of sustainable transportation in Pakistan. Meanwhile, Mian Raja Sultan Peerzada, President of the Association for Development of Local Governance, said that massive use of fossil fuels for transportation had raised the pollution levels to alarming proportions in Pakistan, degrading the environment to a great extent.

“This is forcing the policymakers to consider using alternate, more sustainable methods for urban transportation,” he told WealthPK. He noted that China’s investment in Pakistan’s infrastructure sector had gone a long way in turning it around, especially the public transport sector. However, he underscored that Pakistan needed to support these large investments with a cohesive policy and planning framework to transform the transport sector into a modern, sustainable and effective one. Muhammad Arif Goheer, Coordinator Global Change Impact Studies Centre, Ministry of Climate Change, while talking to WealthPK, said the transport sector was the largest and fastest-growing emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG) worldwide. He said while the exact figure of the factor contribution of transport to total emissions was unavailable in Pakistan, transport globally accounted for 20-30% of GHG for developed countries.

“Thus, the transport sector must take a proactive approach to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Some Pakistani cities have set an interim target of reducing emissions by 50% in 10 years, thus reaching net-zero carbon dioxide emissions in 20-30 years,” he said. Goheer said cities like Singapore, Beijing, Jakarta, Delhi, Bogota, Abu Dhabi and Cairo had shown how to create jobs, support economic development and deliver a good quality of life to their residents while minimising their carbon footprint. “We can benefit from integrated planning and a more efficient use of resources that allow for greater prosperity and social inclusion at lower costs,” he suggested. According to WealthPK Research, recently China hosted the Global Sustainable Transport Forum in Beijing to discuss problems and explore solutions and possibilities for achieving global sustainable transportation.

The goals of this sustainable mode of transportation are to increase safety, resilience and efficiency, and minimise environmental impact. This sustainable transport is part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Beijing Initiative on Global Transportation Cooperation and Communication has been supported by 25 countries and international organisations, calling for joint efforts by the international community to build a safe, convenient, efficient, green and economically sustainable transportation system.

Credit: INP-WealthPk