Planning and Development (P&D) Board Chairman Iftikhar Ali Sahoo presided over a policy dialogue on Climate Change: Resilience and Financing, here on Wednesday. Speakers shared their views about the reasons for climate change and suggested ways to deal with its harmful effects on humans and habitat. They were of the view that unpredictable nature of heavy rains, droughts, floods, smog, and pest invasions were the main syndromes of the havoc. In his opening remarks, the P&D Board chairman said that climate change had badly impacted our day-to-day life. He gave examples of present smog conditions in Lahore and its adjacent areas. Terming it a crucial issue, he said, “We should take immediate steps to tackle the issue, and we are contacting all environmental stakeholders in order to create concrete policies that would prove helpful for reducing environmental challenges at the operational level.” Iftikhar Sahoo mentioned that the Punjab government was taking serious steps to curb the issue by introducing revolutionary initiatives in transport, agriculture, industry, and other relevant departments.
The chairman also promised his full support to all efforts aimed at achieving the goal in the best possible way. Dr Riina Kionka, EU (European Union) Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan via zoom joined the session, Prof. Dr. Sajid Rashid Ahmad, Dean, Faculty of Geo-Sciences, University of the Punjab, Muhammad Omar Masud, CEO Urban Unit, Rashid Kamal-ur-Rehman, Secretary Environment Protection Department, Government of the Punjab, Baptist Chetre, Project Director, GIZ, Prof. Dr. Tahir Hasan, Associate Professor, Director, LUMS project, Prof. Dr. Nadeem Javed SI, Professor, Karachi School of Business and Leadership, former Chief Economist, Planning Commission of Pakistan, Tobias Haq, Lead Country Economist, World Bank, Secretary Finance, Government of the Punjab.
