Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Mushahidullah Khan on Wednesday said that air pollution had no boundaries as pollutants could travel across the country.

He said this while addressing a ceremony titled Ministerial Dialogue Solutions – Landscape for Clean Air’.

Mushahidullah Khan said that air pollution had no boundaries as pollutants could be miles across the state and national boundaries therefore pollutants produced by one country can have adverse impacts on other countries too.

He further highlighted that Pakistan was experiencing winter smog which engulfs a vast area, causing loss to life and economy.

“This smog is primarily due to the burning of agriculture residue and non-conforming industrial processes,” he said. He further added that the most serious issue of air quality in Pakistan was the presence of excessive suspended particulate matter present in the ambient air. The major sources of suspended particulate matter were vehicles, industries, burning of solid wastes, brick kilns and natural dust.

According to the World Bank, urban air particulate pollution is estimated to cause around 22,000 premature deaths among young children. Burning of municipal solid wastes is another source of air pollution.

Almost 54,000 tonnes of solid wastes is generated every day, most of which is either dumped in low-lying areas or burnt. Incomplete combustion of solid waste leads to release of toxic and carcinogenic pollutants.

He added that the government of Pakistan had taken significant steps in improving air quality. These steps include introduction of unleaded gasoline, reduction of sulphur in diesel that is now Euro 2 compliant, continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations in federal and provincial capital cities, national environmental quality standards for industrial gaseous emissions and establishment of Solid Waste Management companies to effectively address solid waste management. He further said that coal fire power plants being established in the country were based on supercritical steam type of boilers that operate at supercritical pressure.

He also highlighted that Pakistan was part of regional initiatives called Male Declaration on Control of Trans Boundary Air Pollution.

Building on the momentum of the regions’ response to implement the United Nations Environment Assembly Resolution on Air Quality and as a follow up to the 2015 Joint Forum, the 2018 Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership Joint Forum is being organised as part of a weeklong programme under the theme Solutions Landscape for Clean Air.

The 2018 Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership Joint Forum will provide an opportunity to provide progress on implementation of the 2014 UN Environment Assembly resolution in Asia and the Pacific on air quality including the Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership since 2015 joint forum. It will also discuss and share the latest science, evidence and impacts of air pollution. This forum will also share and exchange practical and innovative solutions at the national and local level, featuring policy, finance and technology and develop a plan for the Asia Pacific Clean air Partnership Joint Forum to implement the UN Environment Assembly resolution on air quality in the region.

Published in Daily Times, March 22^nd 2018.