KARACHI: Sindh Environmental Protection Agency has sealed two restaurants including Zameer Ansari and Malik Nehari in Bahadurabad area of the city on Wednesday on violation of Section 11 of Sindh Environmental Protection Act 2014. A monitoring team of Sindh EPA escorted by local police sealed both the restaurants on not following environmental standards in their operations. Earlier chairing a meeting of coal importers and representatives of Karachi Port Trust Baqaullah Unnar Secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development Department, Government of Sindh gave five days deadline to remove coal placed in open area near port that is causing health and environmental hazards since long. He said if coal importers will not remove their coal from the open area then environmental management plan of such importers would be cancelled. Secretary Climate Change, Environment, and Costal Development Department, Government of Sindh Baqaullah Unar also chaired a meeting on the proposed Climate Change policy draft of Sindh. Stakeholders from University of Karachi, Sindh University, Institute of Business Management, UNDP, Dawood Engineering University and others were present in the meeting. Secretary Climate Change, Environment, and Costal Development, Government of Sindh Mr. Baqaullah Unar said that in view of the deteriorated environmental situation in Sindh the proposed Climate Change policy draft is of great important and it will serve as a stepping stone toward attainment of sustainable development and said that today’s meeting has been called upon to address the issue with consultation so that no loopholes remain in Climate Change policy draft. Director HQ EPA Sindh Waqar Hussain Phulpoto briefed the participants regarding the steps taken by Sindh government to draft a Climate Change policy. Bisharat from Lead Pakistan comprehensively briefed the participants about Sindh Climate Change policy draft and said that it is being formulated in order to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and this means that no sector will remain unaddressed. He added that we wanted to design a structure in such a way that no duplication of work occurs, he underscored that the aim of the draft policy on Climate Change is to make it human centric which can only be achieved through compatible development. He talked about climate change paradigm and SDGs and focused on climate change policy measures and strategies related to adaptation and mitigation for each development sector in detail like on agriculture, water resource management, urban planning, etc. He said that LEAD has identified climate change challenges being confronted by Sindh i.e. 5 types of floods, 4 types of drought, heat wave, rising sea level, seawater intrusion in costal aquifers, impact of multiple stressors on fishers and increasing phenomenon of dust storm in Sindh. After giving a detailed presentation he also talked about the need for capacity building between different line departments etc. and also briefed about climate finance readiness as he said that various types of funding are available but this needs organizations that are accredited. He said that climate change policy aims to ensure that climate change action is mainstreamed in development, planning particularly in economically, and socioeconomic vulnerable sectors and to steer Sindh towards economic growth and a climate compatible with development. After a detailed Q/A session and incorporating the suggestions from the participants, Secretary Climate Change, Environment, and Costal Development, Government of Sindh Baqaullah Unar underscored the need for better coordination between all the concerned line departments and stressed that proper execution is of utmost importance for which every individual needs to play his /her role and said that the perspective of the marginalized, and the “voices of the vulnerable communities” must be an integral part of the climate change policy formulation process. Published in Daily Times, August 17th 2017.