ACJCE member holds discussion on ‘Review of Sindh Climate Change Policy and Implementation Framework’

KARACHI, April 15, 2022: Alliance for Climate Justice and Clean Energy member the Knowledge Forum organized a consultation on the ‘Review of the Sindh Climate Change Policy and Implementation Framework’ in collaboration with the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR).

The consultation was attended by environmental experts, climate change and rights activists, lawyers, journalists and civil society. Member of NCHR from Sindh, Anis Haroon, presided over the meeting. Prominent names who took participated in the consultation session included Director of Sindh Environmental Protection Agency Waqar Hussain Phulpoto, Energy Department, Additional Secretary, Dr. Abdul Shakoor Abro, Senior Trade Unions leader Habibuddin Junaidi, Senior Urban Researcher Muhammad Toheed, Director of Aurat Foundation Mahnaz Rahman, Member of Sindh Human Rights Commission Pushpa Kumari, Gender Expert Sarah Zaman, Zahid Farooq from Urban Resource Centre, senior lawyer Altaf Hussain Khoso, Maaz Tanveer from HANDS, Abdul Raafay from Alternative Law Collectives, Iram Aijaz from Pakistan Red Crescent Society, environmental activists Yasir Husain, Basil Andrews and others.

The participants pointed out various missing elements in the Sindh Climate Change policy. They emphasized that the policy does not recognize concretization and carbon emission-intensive energy generation such as coal and gas as problem areas. The ongoing expansion of coal power plants in Tharparkar is likely to lead Pakistan into becoming one of the largest air pollutant, mercury and CO2 emissions hotspots in South Asia.

They also noted that the Sindh province is a fossil gas-rich region, which contributes about 70% of the total gas production in the country. However, gas production and expansion in LNG plants are deepening Sindh’s exposure to climate change risks as natural gas and LNG in particular are linked with high methane emission potential.

The Knowledge Forum has compiled a set of recommendations drawn from the consultation, which are due to be shared with the Environment, Climate Change & Coastal Development Department of Sindh in the coming days.