Climate Governance and Pakistan

According to the Global Climate Change Risk Index, Pakistan is currently the fifth most climate-vulnerable country in the world. The spiralling threats of climate change in the shape of heat waves, rising sea levels, melting glaciers, and dreadful floods have proved the fatal fact that climate, has become an existential threat to Pakistan. Even though Pakistan lacks a thriving industrial capacity, the rising perils of climate change demand resilient climate governance to address the potential threats.

But unfortunately, climate governance in Pakistan is trapped by many surmountable flaws and weaknesses. It can be overtly asserted, that the climate governance of Pakistan is both ineffective and unresponsive to seize the threats. Its ability to deliver better climate services across the country is limited. The present outlook of Pakistan’s climate governance lacks its capacity to safeguard the economy in all sectors. However, the recent sue moto action taken by the Supreme Court and the prime minister’s effort to constitute an inter-ministerial committee has resumed the hope for better climate action.                         

 Paris Climate Agreement was the first consolidated international step to deal with the rising threat of climate change, to which Pakistan agreed to fully abide by. In the following consent, the Sharif government passed the Climate Change Act, 2017 to implement the global climate regulations. Three interrelated institutions were created: the Climate Change Council, the Climate Change Authority, and the Climate Change Fund. Unfortunately, the Act could not be enacted by true letter and spirit. There were several factors that impeded the full implementation of the act. It posed a threat to the significant 18th constitutional amendment, which guarantees provincial autonomy. Should it be enforced, it would necessitate the transfer of powers from the provinces to the central government. Additionally, bureaucratic obstacles and political instability within the country also thwarted the enactment of the act in line with its intended purpose. However, both the government and the Supreme Court must address these persistent concerns before progressing further.

Climate change is a terrible problem, and it absolutely needs to be solved. It deserves to be a huge priority.

Successive governments remained oblivious to solving the core climate-centric issues. In a democratic country, parliament has the onus to bring such concerns to the floor of the house to debate and legislate. It is quite disheartening to say that the legislators haven’t shown any interest to bring the matter under discussion. The government of Imran Khan has taken various impressive steps to deal with the issues of climate change. Particularly, the ten billion tree tsunami plan, and to be, the use of plastics is highly appreciable. But on the governance front, under the Imran’s hybrid administration, climate ministry could not utilize his vision and effort to perform his duty effectively. The Climate Change Committee (CCC) was formed but failed to summon regular meetings. The provinces were not taken into confidence, while the documents were approved during the period. The national climate change policy, and the nationally determined contributions were approved by the cabinet committee on climate change, and neglected the mandated, the Council of Common Interests (CCI), which provides equal opportunity to all the provinces to take part in the proceedings.                 

Resilient climate governance is a prerequisite for Pakistan to cope with the potential challenges of climate change. But unfortunately, in Pakistan, climate governance is trapped by many surmountable flaws, resulting into the inculcation of ineffective approach to seize the threats. Its ability to deliver climate services across the country is limited.  

The CCI has its primary responsibility to create a bridge between the provinces and the centre, to cater such issues. In the last two years, the CCI has met merely twice on the chronic issue. First under the Sharif-led PDM government and then Kakar’s caretaker government. The dynamic climate ministers Senator Sherry Rehman and Ahmed Irfan Aslam must be given the credit. However, both failed to create the Climate Change Agreements (CCA) and the proposed (Climate Change Fund) CCF. The present government also seems dubious regarding these provisions and intricacies.           

 The government must establish the CCA by drawing its principles and aims, without which the aspiration of a good governance system to tackle the menace of climate change is not possible. It will further violate the governance of climate change. Therefore, an organic link should be created between the climate division and the ministry.                          

 Utilization of funds in the right direction and monitoring the climate change are necessary to address the future threats of climate change. In this regard, the CCA will play its role. It will manage the proposed CCF to allocate funds and monitor climate change, helping in adaptation and mitigation of the projects. In this way, the culture of resilient climate governance can be smoothly promoted. At the government level, there are insufficient monitory resources to cope this mounting threat. The government merely relies on international aid and gifts, rather than allocation of proper funds in annual budget. For example, in the Cities for Climate Protection program, 27 (CCP), Pakistan was assured to finance 40 million dollars by the international community. However, the government haven’t received even a minimal share of the pledged amount, hitherto.

Therefore, the government should search out its competent areas to generate resources at the national level. There should be equity among all provinces while distributing the funds. Baluchistan and Sindh must be given priority, because both are at risk of climate change. Merely, 0.5 percent of the GDP is allocated for climate change, which is not significant, owing to the immensity of the risks, the rate should be increased by manifolds. In developing and underdeveloped nations, financial assistance is provided by developed countries under the guise of international climate funds. These funds are channelled through specific avenues. In Pakistan, institutions: such as the State Bank, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, and commercial banks are utilized for this purpose. To ensure optimal utilization of these funds, the government must establish a comprehensive national climate finance strategy characterized by transparency and accountability. Such a strategy will play a significant role in shaping the framework of the fund’s allocation.

Tackling the climate crisis is a multifaceted endeavour that requires simultaneous engagement across various platforms. This includes initiatives like raising awareness through programs, involving the international community, and urging national governments to enact climate-focused legislation. In 2017, Pakistan introduced the Climate Change Act, alongside the existing Pakistan Environmental Protection Act. However, it’s important to note that the Climate Change Act does not override the broader scope of the Environmental Protection Act. Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency, under the climate ministry, operates within the framework of PEPA. While the four provinces adhere to PEPA at the provincial level, to operate the 14 multilateral environmental agreements, outlined in PEPA has been a challenge, particularly in provinces other than Sindh. This failure to implement these agreements highlights the governance gaps in addressing climate issues within the country.

 Pakistan has been facing a severe crisis of climate governance, which has multiplied the risks of climate change. The country has its national climate policy to address the perils of climate change. Moreover, it has passed the Climate Change Act in 2017 that seems less effective due to showing restrains in its enactment. Globally Pakistan is a signatory of different climate-related conventions, but a fragile climate governance at the domestic level bars Pakistan to root out the pressing issues of climate change. Thus, resilient climate governance with a consolidated climate act is a prerequisite for Pakistan to fight against the monster of climate change.

Shakeel Elahi

The writer is an Islamabad-based research analyst.

• Shakeel Elahi

  https://spinetimes.pk/author/shakeel-elahi/

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