THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT POLICY 2005:Environment and Housing

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Lesson 15

THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT POLICY 2005

A reproduction of the relevant section on the environment from Chapter 16 titled: "Environment and

Housing", page 205 to top of page 210 from the publication titled: "Pakistan Economic Survey, 2004-05"

published by the Government of Pakistan in June 2005.

The Lectures 15 and 16 identify the importance of placing all human activity and development within an

environmental framework and to view the utilization of natural resources on a balanced and sustainable basis.

The two handouts will provide students with the actual text of the two official documents that are most

relevant and contemporary to the subject.

At the same time, students are also advised to visit the websites of those organizations and institutions which

have a particular interest in issues related to Pakistan's environment.

These include, for example:

Pakistan National Committee of IUCN The World Conservation Union, website:

http://www.iucn.org/places/Pakistan

Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Islamabad, website: www.sdpi.org

Belour Advisory & Social Development Organisation (BASDO)

http://www.basdo.gq.nu/

Baanhn Beli - A Friend Forever http://www.baanhnbeli.org/

H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry http://www.hej.edu.pk/

Pakistan Institute of Labour Education & Research (PILER) http://www.piler.sdnpk.org/

Shehri-Citizens for a Better Environment http://www.shehri.org

Sungi Development Foundation http://www.sungi.sdnpk.org

World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan http://www.wwfpak.org/

Environment and Housing

Pakistan is conscious that pursuit of unbridled growth and development all over the world has laid a heavy

burden on sustainability for the present and foreseeable future on the planet Earth. Sustainable development

is, therefore, the cornerstone of all considerations by the government. Concern for environment its

protection, renewal and enrichment - has been reckoned as an obligation towards the betterment of all the

citizens at large. Presently, the environmental situation has arisen due to a number of factors including high

population growth rate, lack of public awareness and education, mismanagement of water and other natural

resources as well as unplanned urban and industrial expansion.

During the last decade, Pakistan has made diligent progress in the institutional strengthening and capacity

building of policy and planning institutions, environmental awareness, and the promulgation of

environmental legislation, National Environment Quality Standards (NEQS), and the establishment of

environmental tribunals. The energy sector introduced lead-free petrol and since July 2002, all refineries in

the country are supplying lead-free petrol and promoting clean fuels including CNG.

The National Environment Action Plan (NEAP) that was initiated in 2001 after the approval of the Pakistan

Environment Protection Council and the UNDP-funded, NEP Support (NEAP-SP) has overcome its

teething problems and the tangible results from these initiatives are visible. The major objectives of NEAP-

SP are to achieve a healthy environment and a sustainable livelihood by improving the quality of air, water

and land with civil society cooperation. In this regard, the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) and the

Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) have already been made mandatory for public sector development

projects. One of the major achievements of NEAP-SP during 2004-05 was the preparation of the draft

"National Environmental Policy 2005" which has been approved by the Prime Minister in principle and is

being circulated to larger stakeholders for comments. Once approved, it would be country's first every

"Environmental Policy". This Policy would complement the objectives of NEP-SP and will address the

sectoral issues like (a) Water management and conservation, (b) Energy efficiency and renewable, (c)

Agriculture and livestock, (d) Forestry and plantation, (e) Biodiversity and protected areas, (f) Climate change,

air quality and noise and (g) Pollution and waste management.

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(Note: Subsequent to the publication of the Pakistan Economic Survey 2004-2005, the National

Environmental Policy was formally approved by the Federal Cabinet. In addition, the (proposed) policy aims

to address other cross-sectoral issues such as (a) Population and environment, (b) Gender and environment,

and local government.

In this globalize regime it is hard to avoid the issue of "genetically modified substances". This is proving to

be the bone of contention between the EU and the US as far as their international trade is concerned. So far

there were no rules and regulations to import, export, sell, purchase or trade living modified organisms,

substances, and products thereof for any purposes. Keeping in view its importance for public safety as well

as for international trade, the Ministry of Environment has framed and enacted "Pakistan Biosafety Rules

2005" under the Pakistan Environment Protection Act 1997. These rules would provide guidelines and

regulate trade in genetically modified substances.

The Government of Pakistan is also in the process of consultations/cost-benefit analysis, of accession to the

Kyoto Protocol with the major stakeholders from the public as well as the private sector, regarding their

preparedness for taking advantage of accession to the Protocol.

Impact of Pollution

Air

The key factors contributing to air pollution in Pakistan are: a) rapidly growing energy demand; and b) a fast-

growing transport sector. In the cities, widespread use of low-quality fuel, combined with a dramatic

expansion in the number of vehicles on roads, has led to significant air pollution problems. Air pollution

levels in Pakistan's most populated cities are among the highest in the world and climbing, causing serious

health issues. The levels of ambient particulates smoke particles and dust, which cause respiratory disease

are generally twice the world average and more than five times as high as in industrial countries and Latin

America (Energy Information Administration, 2004), Although Pakistan's energy consumption is still low by

world standards, lead and carbon emissions are major air pollutants in urban centres such as Karachi, Lahore,

Rawalpindi and Peshawar.

It may be mentioned here that the two-wheeler industry is performing very well in Pakistan. In the year

2003-04, the motorcycle industry showed a visible sign of growth when the total market size achieved a figure

of around 327446 while during 2004-05 (July-March), it was 342678 units. Rickshaws have grown (increased

in number) by more than 59%, while motorcycles and scooters have almost doubled over the past ten years

(This data does not include locally assembled diesel engine turned (driven) "auto carts" used in rural areas).

Motorcycles and rickshaws, due to their two-stroke engines, are the most inefficient in burning fuel and

contribute most to emissions.

Pakistan is the largest user of CNG in Asia and has become the third-leading country in the world to use

CNG to fuel vehicles. Presently, some 700 CNG stations are operating in the country while 200 are under

construction. By March 2005, about 700,000 vehicles were converted to CNG as compared to 450,000

vehicles during the same period last year, showing an increase of 56%. Use of CNG as fuel in the transport

sector has observed a quantum leap, replacing traditional fuels and has helped a lot in lowering the pollution

load in many urban centres. After the successful CNG programme for petrol replacement, the government is

now embarking upon a programme to replace the more polluting diesel fuel in the road transport sector. The

government has planned to offer incentives to investors to introduce CNG buses in the major cities of the

country.

During July-March 2004-05, 3681 million cubic feet of natural gas was supplied per day as against 3210

million cubic feet per day during the same period last year, showing an increase of almost 14.7 percent. For

the last five years, the use of coal in the power sector has been decreasing. It may be due to the fact that a

number of plants have now been converted to natural gas. Likewise, there has been a considerable reduction

in coal usage for domestic purposes.

Water

Per capita water availability in Pakistan has been decreasing at an alarming rate. In 1951, per capita availability

was 5300 cubic meters, which has now decreased to 1105 cubic meters just touching water scarcity level of

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1000 cubic meters. The productivity of fresh water is also decreasing due to losses in the movement of the

water from the canal heads to the croplands. The existing water resources are under threat due to rapid

degradation, soil erosion, deforestation and untreated discharge of municipal and industrial wastes to rivers

and other water bodies. Municipal water is treated only in two cities viz. Karachi and Islamabad though the

capacity of these treatment plants is much less than the actual quantum of wastewater. Over fishing and

polluted water are reducing the productivity of the marine and inshore fisheries. This situation is precarious,

in particular, for mangroves in the coastal zone and certain aquatic wildlife, such as the Indus freshwater

dolphin. All of these activities are contributing to the destruction of habitats and, more generally, to a loss of

biodiversity.

The investigational study conducted by Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources indicates that water

in many cities of Pakistan is unsafe for human consumption due to both bacterial and chemical

contamination. The overall deteriorating quality of water can be attributed to a continuous drop in the water

table due to high industrial and agricultural demands. It has been observed that the water table has been

decreasing at a rate of 10 feet every year.

The Government of Pakistan is committed to supply safe drinking water to its people and many emptive as

well as pre-emptive measures have been proposed in the National Environmental Policy to ensure supply of

safe drinking water. Various bilateral and multilateral donors/aid/lending agencies have shown their

willingness to support government's endeavour in this regard. Plans are underway to extend the coverage of

clean drinking water from 63 percent in 2001-02 to 70% percent in 2005-06 and sanitation from 40 percent to

55 percent in the same period. It is targeted to provide 93 percent of population with access to clean drinking

water by 2005 and 90% of the population with access to sanitation.

Land

The productivity of soil is being lost due to water-logging, salinisation and sodicity. It is estimated that about

38 percent of Pakistan's irrigated land is water logged, 14 percent is saline and the application of agricultural

chemicals has increased by a factor of almost 10 since 1980. Forest cover is being lost every year, and

Balochistan's Juniper forests, unique in the world, continue to be cut beyond their capacity to regenerate.

In the urban areas, less than 60 percent of solid waste is collected. No city in Pakistan has proper waste

collection and disposal system for municipal or hazardous wastes. Our Industries use about 525 types of

chemicals and dyes/colour in different processing industries. Their processing generates wastes causing

contamination of soil and poses potential risk to public health and damage to the fertility of cropland.

Policies and Programmes

The National Conservation Strategy (NCS) represents the broad National Environment Policy of Pakistan,

within which a National Environment Action Plan (NEAP) has also been approved. The main objectives of

NEAP are to safeguard public health, promote sustainable livelihood and enhance quality of life for the

people of Pakistan. It focuses on clean air, clean water, solid waste management and eco-systems

management. The government has also formulated a comprehensive strategy to develop provincial capacity

for implementing environmental protection laws and monitoring their effectiveness. The following strategies

and plans are envisaged:

National Resettlement Safeguard Policy (NRSP):

The NRSP will be promulgated to minimize negative environmental and social impacts of land acquisition

and rehabilitation for national projects, and displacement of native people.

National Response Strategy on Climate Change:

This policy-guiding document is also nearing completion, which envisages policies and action plans to combat

adverse impacts of climate change on different sectors of the economy, with existing sources of technical and

financial cooperation.

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National Land Use Programme: Other Plans:

These include Forest Sector Master Plan, National Forest Policy, Biodiversity Action Plan and Desertification

Combat Action Plan, Maritime Policy is currently under preparation, which will be finalized and

implemented. Integrated Coastal Zone management Plan will be formulated.

Conservation will focus on the following areas:

Energy efficiency and renewable energy:

Energy efficiency will be significantly improved by implementing an efficiency plan. Conventional sources of

energy will be conserved. The proportion of renewable sources will be increased incrementally in the coming

decades. Pakistan Council for Renewable Energy Technology (PCRET) would undertake a comprehensive

implemental action plan for development of non-conventional technology.

Land and Water:

Irrigation and water management systems need both short-term and long-term rectification to minimize water

distribution losses. The overriding principle of the ongoing National Drainage Programme (NDP) is not to

pollute the Indus Basin System and fresh water reservoirs by discharging saline effluents. The on-farm water

management (OFWM) programme will line and renovate existing 90,000 watercourses to enhance irrigation

efficiency up to 70%. Efficient irrigation methods along with lining of existing canal networks will be

adopted to economize water use and to control water logging and salinity.

Forests:

State-owned forests will be regenerated and protected with intimate involvement of local communities in

forests management. Local governments and union councils would bring in more private marginal lands

under forests cover within a defined legal framework to avoid alienation of land use. State-owned wastelands

may be leased out to tenants for expansion of forest cover.

Production systems and consumption patterns will be rationalized through the following measures:

Regional pricing system:

The input and output prices will be rationalized to achieve minimal unit cost of production ensuring

sustainability of the agriculture sector. Agricultural and industrial pricing systems will be reformed to

consider the costs of natural resources (land, water and air), for estimating the real cost of production per

unit.

Environmental accounting and auditing:

In industrial sector, environmental economics, accounting and auditing would be introduced, which on the

one hand would ensure cleaner production and standards certification e.g. ISO 14000 series, and on the

other, determine the actual cost of production including hidden environmental costs.

Agro-eco-zoning:

The under-preparation Land Use Plan will facilitate agro-eco-zoning of Pakistan in relation to comparative

advantages of crops. Production of high water-demanding and susceptible crops will be discouraged;

environmentally valued crops will be promoted.

Air and water pollution will be managed in the following ways:

Fuel switching and clean fuels:

Emissions of air pollutants will be gradually brought within the safe limits, through promoting unleaded

gasoline, low sulphur fuel oil/diesel, and gradual switching to natural gas/CNG. Consequently, health

hazards and cost of air pollution will be gradually reduced. Promoting energy-efficient and clean technologies

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will bring emission levels well within the admissible limit of 114,000 Gigagrams (Base Year 1994 level for

developing countries), and greenhouse gases (GHGs).

Water quality monitoring:

The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) with the collaboration of district and local governments will

effectively monitor urban wastewater and industrial effluent discharges into rivers/water bodies to check

water pollution.

Governance will be improved and institutions strengthened through the following set of actions:

Legislation enforcement:

Strengthening of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (PEPA) and provincial Environment

Protection Departments in order to enable them to perform the mandated functions. Local governments

under the new set-ups will be strengthened and administratively empowered to enforce legislation and

monitor natural resources. Enabling institutional and legal frameworks for National Environment Quality

Standards (NEQS) enforcement, implementing Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic

Environment Assessment (SEA) will be established.

Environmental tribunals:

Currently, two tribunals are functioning in Lahore and Karachi. During the coming three years full financial

and manpower support will be extended to make them fully functional to prosecute environmental violations.

Institutional strengthening:

Strengthening of institutions in public, private and NGO sectors, concerned with planning, project

formulation and implementation of projects through training and capacity building programmes. The district

and local governments under the new set-up will be specifically focused for capacity building programmes on

environment.

Awareness and education:

Electronic and print media will be used for enhancing environmental awareness, dissemination of

government policies, plans and programmes for invoking participation of district and local institutions in

implementing them. Formal environmental education will also be promoted though building human

resources capacities, and technological support of national academia.

Participation of NGOs and communities:

Programmes for community mobilization for sustainable management of natural resources, through active

involvement of custodian communities in planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation

processes.

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