Ostensibly, climate change is becoming a bigger threat than terrorism. In this regard, the Government of Balochistan in 2024 launched the Green Balochistan Initiative, allocating Rs. 10 billion.
Balochistan faces rising temperatures, water scarcity and frequent heatwaves. A pertinent question remains: how can the Green Balochistan Initiative be further strengthened under CPEC Phase 2.0? The Green Corridor is a key cornerstone of CPEC 2.0, attributed to environmental protection and Sustainable Development Goals. Balochistan needs environmental protection and the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals.
Against this backdrop, China has emerged as a green tech superpower. It controls 90 per cent of rare earth processing, 94 per cent of permanent magnet production, 80 per cent of solar panel manufacturing and 70 per cent of electric vehicle (EV) batteries and production. Most importantly, China has been exporting 47 per cent of green tech to the Global South. The world is moving towards green tech because it has a lower marginal cost than fossil fuels, while EVs are economically more efficient.
Hypothetically, CPEC Phase 2.0 could transform Balochistan’s peripheral areas into Pakistan’s green energy hub by leveraging China’s ascendancy in renewable technologies. As mentioned in the previous piece, the province possesses more than 11.77 million acres of land, equal in area to Switzerland, which so far remains uncultivated. Balochistan has the highest irradiation zone. Unlike other provinces, many parts of Balochistan witness 300 sunny days in a year. The 11.77 million acres of land in the province are a blessing in disguise, turning it into a hub for solar energy under CPEC Phase 2.0. China under CPEC has already supported the province. In Gwadar, 5,000 households received solar systems. Mir Sarfraz Bugti, the Chief Minister of Balochistan, termed home solar systems a major step toward renewable energy in Balochistan.
Promoting local manufacturing of batteries, panels and inverters would prove instrumental for a green Balochistan. Under the Green Pakistan Initiative, more than 847 farmers of Balochistan obtained Rs 3.2 billion in interest-free loans in a bid to cultivate nearly 35,609 acres to boost agricultural production and exports. So far in the province, 27,000 agricultural tube wells have been converted to solar systems for agricultural needs, but the depletion of water needs special attention under the Green Balochistan Initiative. China has made history by witnessing the fastest energy transformation in recent years; it has installed more solar capacity than the rest of the world. This strategy is designed to reduce dependency on oil and gas imports.
Given the geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East, China now obtains maximum dividends from green tech. Meanwhile, a World Bank study on Balochistan’s renewable energy claims the province possesses photovoltaic (PV) potential ranging from 2,000 to 2,500 kWh/m², while the provincial government’s energy assessment reports state that approximately 40 per cent of Balochistan receives direct solar radiation greater than 6 kWh per square meter. Chinese expertise under CPEC Phase 2.0 is likely to make Balochistan self-sufficient in the energy sector, bolstering the Green Balochistan Initiative.
In recent years, China has made remarkable progress in climate-smart agriculture. Presently, it is feeding nearly 20 per cent of the global population with only 9 per cent of the world’s farmland. It focuses on productivity, climate resilience and emissions reduction. The world’s population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050. China, thus, tries to increase food production by 50 per cent to meet global demand. China’s milestone in water-smart agriculture is unprecedented, preserving 885 cubic meters of water for every hectare of land. Farmers are now able to get more crops, 10 to 40 per cent extra, by using less water. The country by 2020 improved fertilizer efficiency to 40.2 per cent, while pesticide efficiency improved to 40.6 per cent. In smart and digital agriculture, 55,000 drones are used in farming, covering nearly 56.7 million hectares. As a result, pesticide use is reduced by 20 per cent and water use is reduced by 90 per cent. Given the situation, CPEC Phase 2.0 could preserve water in Balochistan; the province can replicate Chinese sprinkler irrigation, drip irrigation and micro-irrigation.
Fertigation should be used to preserve water and fertilizer while increasing productivity in Balochistan. China’s drone-based smart farming can be utilized in Balochistan, including precision pesticide spraying, pest monitoring in orchards and monitoring locusts, disease and drought impact. The province can reduce chemical fertilizers by applying soil testing, using livestock waste to restore soil fertility and using biofertilizers to decrease chemical dependency. Chinese supply chains under CPEC Phase 2.0 are likely to create green jobs in manufacturing, installation and maintenance. Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and a business-to-business (B2B) model of pre-assembly would pave the way for technology transfer, as China built domestic dominance.
Barry Buzan rightly argues that modern security requires consolidation of economic, energy and environmental dimensions. Pakistan desperately needs strengthening in the above-mentioned areas. As China has emerged as a green tech superpower, it can project its soft power in Balochistan by winning the hearts and minds of the people through sharing its expertise in green technology.
The devastating effects of the 2022 floods have had long-lasting impacts. The total losses in the province in the 2022 floods were approximately $5 billion. Climate change has rapidly contributed to environmental extremism in the province. The Green Balochistan Initiative is a monumental step taken by the provincial government of Balochistan. Aligning it with CPEC Phase 2.0 and learning from China’s green tech superiority will turn barren Balochistan into a green Balochistan. [email protected]
