Punjab’s environmental policy is superbly effective if truly implemented, Dr Sobia, an environmental economist working as a research fellow at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), told WealthPK. She said not only the Punjab province but also the whole of Pakistan was direly in need of implementing the already framed environmental policies. “To promote environmental sustainability, it is important to involve the communities at all levels. Better environment is a basic human right and people need to be made aware of it through the social, print, and electronic media. Awareness campaigns must be launched to educate the people about the losses occurring due to a damaged environment,” she said.

Environment is a cross-cutting subject and to make it better, the departments must take collective actions. All the major stakeholders should work together on it. Departmental capacity-building of environmental experts direly needs to be increased. There should be public-private partnerships (PPP) for establishment of environmental labs and industry. These partnerships will also help upgrade the obsolete labs and improve data collection. Furthermore, she said green cover was not only saving the existing industrial framework but also serving as a source of earning in the form of a carbon credit market. It is important to extract socio-economic benefits from the proper implementation of the existing policy. It is not only important for the future generations but also equally beneficial for the present to create a great job market, generate revenue and enhance the prosperity index.

To implement any policy, first of all, experts are to be appointed. It saves time and makes things work in the proper direction. Same in the way, environmental policy implementation is not only a problem in Punjab but also across Pakistan. Experts belonging to only one environmental aspect are not enough to cover all issues. There are problems concerning the management of water resources, waste, and air quality including biodiversity conservation. Furthermore, Dr. Sobia said, “There are many aspects related to the environmental issues. If we discuss the air quality management only, many things come into play including the popularity of clean technology, fewer emissions from industrial units, and crop residue management. For effective management of environment related issues, involvement of communities is necessary. A regular awareness campaign is important. This mutual communal effort with the involvement of experts can bring revolutionary changes.”

She said the groundwater in Punjab was used for irrigation due to which the water table was depleting. Water-efficient farming practices and rainwater reservoirs can be good alternatives. Recycling is important for reducing waste, she said.
Transitioning to renewable energy can decrease greenhouse gas emissions. The trend to use bicycles or walk on foot should be introduced for short distances. Use of public transport should be popularized to decrease the number of vehicles on the road.

Incentivized policies from the government side are also important. All households, small business enterprises, offices, farming places, and factories following the green environment parameters should be offered benefits like tax rebates, support to get health facilities, easy loan plans, import costs, ease in export, and many other things that the government can do consistently.

Biodiversity conservation is also an important feature to be focused on. Conservation of ecology means safety of the planet earth. In this regard, a few things are important, like the collaboration of international organizations to support research and development, and funding. The government should strictly enforce the environmental laws and those not following them should be fined. Regular monitoring will play a key role in forming an environment-sensitive community, added Dr Sobia.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)