ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Climate Change will establish Climate Change Authority to ensure coordinated efforts and policies to meet the challenges posed by the global warming and environmental degradation. The government is taking short, medium and long-term measures to meet the challenge of climate change, a senior official of the ministry told APP. “After the passage of 18th amendment, matters related to the climate change have been devolved to provinces, and the authority will be beneficial for all stakeholders to discuss matters pertaining to environmental issues,” he said.He expressed the hope that provinces would support this initiative in supreme national interest. To a question he said that Pakistan is committed to reduce its emissions after reaching peak levels to the extent possible subject to affordability, provision of international climate finance, transfer of technology and capacity building. To another question, he said that the government has taken a number of steps to counter the environmental pollution including the disposal of chemicals waste. Establishment of Environmental Laboratories and Air Monitoring Station at Federal and provincial capitals is also under consideration, he said.The official said that Environment Protection Tribunal would be established to achieve the goals. The government is determined to manage the pollutants and pollution in country. This is evident from the fact that the vision 2025 process builds upon the largely successful pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and is a launching pad for the complete fulfillments of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) before their target date of 2030.
