Decarbonization is one of the most used words in the field of Sustainable Development. Decarbonization of the economy means moving a country away from fossil fuels and in the direction of clean sources of power production. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, we have extensively relied on fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) to commence economic development at the global level. However, towards the end of the 20th century, scientists, researchers and experts started pointing out the fact that we should stop our reliance on fossil fuels since they emit greenhouse gases that are the root cause of climate change. The 1972 UN Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm and later Brundtland Report (Our Common Future) in 1987 gave birth to the concept of Sustainable Development. It means that whatever development we commence now, should satisfy the needs of today and it should not force future generations to compromise on their ability to meet their own needs. In the light of Sustainable Development definition, the future generations of Pakistan deserve a resilient society that is socially equitable, economically viable and ecologically sustainable. It is our moral and ethical responsibility to create such a resilient society for the coming generations. An excellent way to create such a resilient society is to bend the greenhouse gas emission curve from Pakistan. As per the World Bank Group, Pakistan produces less than 1% of the global greenhouse gases however, it is among the countries most affected by climate change. We must act now to minimize the consequences of climate change for Pakistan. 100% renewable electricity generation in Pakistan Pakistan Economic Survey (2023-24) reveals that the country produced 45.88% of its electricity from fossil fuels in FY 2024. It produced another 18.19% of electricity from nuclear power. The former produces greenhouse gases that cause our previously stable climate to change, and the latter generates nuclear waste that remains highly radioactive for tens of thousands of years. We must exponentially increase the use of renewable energy sources to a point where we can produce 100% of our electricity from solar PV, hydropower, and offshore and onshore wind power. Renewable energy makes the most sense since it is readily available, already matured and is the most inexpensive source of electricity generation. Most importantly, our 100% reliance on clean energy sources will help us put a dent in our energy import bill which was USD 8.4 billion in FY 2024. If we keep our energy import bill static to 2024 level, in a decade, it would be a cumulative USD 84 billion that we would spend on the purchase of petroleum products and crude oil. The staggering cost itself acts as a wake-up call for us to initiate a green transition in Pakistan. Our sustainable economic growth, social resilience and environmental conservation are all tied to green transition. The sooner, we would initiate a green transition the less costly it will be for us and our coming generations. If a person (near and dear to us) is addicted to heroin, we would not wait for a decade or two to bring that person to rehab. So, this is the case with any society that relies on fossil fuels. The sooner policymakers choose to move away from both fossil fuels and nuclear power and towards clean sources, the easier and less costly the journey will be for all. Transition to electric buses and locomotives in the transport sector Access to a decent public transport system is a basic human right and thus it should be given to all. Everyone in Pakistan should be able to commute by decent buses to their desired destination. The buses in our transport system should not act as a point source of greenhouse gas emissions. It should not be the case that buses would emit black smoke that would choke everyone else on the road. We can certainly do better than this. An excellent public transport sector and its smooth functioning are crucial to bending the emissions curve from the transport sector in Pakistan. It is excellent that we can now see electric buses in operation in Lahore city. These buses are silent in operation and do not act as a point source of greenhouse gas emissions. However, it is equally crucial to ensure that these buses are also charged with 100% renewable electricity. If we charge these buses with fossil fuel-based electricity, we will simply move the greenhouse gas emissions from the vehicle’s exhaust system to the conventional power plants. Consequently, in that case, the positive impact of electric buses on the environment will be negligible. How we charge electric buses matters, and it can either make or break the whole environment-friendly initiative. Introducing intra-city electric buses is a much-needed step in the right direction. However, this should just be the beginning of a wider green transition in the transport sector in Pakistan. It is equally important to replace fossil fuel-driven inter-city buses with electric buses as well. Similarly, we cannot leave Pakistan Railways out of the equation when it comes to implementing a green transition in the transport sector. It would be cost-effective and environment-friendly to power Pakistan Railways with 100% electricity-driven locomotives. By doing so, we can protect Pakistan Railways from rising fuel costs and can provide a sustainable Pakistan-wide transport medium to the masses in the country. Last but not least, we should ensure that electricity used in charging buses and powering locomotives would be produced through 100% renewable energy. Most importantly, we should have needed infrastructure in place across Pakistan to facilitate the smooth charging of buses on roads and the functioning of electric locomotives on railway tracks. We have what it takes to make this happen. To conclude, the decarbonization of power generation and public transport sectors would be a much-needed step in the right direction for Pakistan. We cannot afford to lose taxpayer money on the import of fossil fuels. We can certainly do better than this. We are indeed answerable to our coming generations who would for sure hold us accountable for our inability to act, even when we had time. We need to act now. Time is quickly slipping through our hands. Cassandra is screaming to wake us up and we must pay heed to her before it’s too late. The writer is a Stockholm-based policy analyst and the Founder / Operations Manager of Project Green Earth (www.projectge.org)