ISLAMABAD - The Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change meeting addressed several environmental concerns and proposed solutions to tackle them. One of the primary issues discussed was the increasing plastic waste in Pakistan. Officials informed the committee that around three million tonnes of plastic waste was generated in Pakistan in 2022, and this number is expected to reach 12 million by 2040 if immediate action is not taken. To address this issue, the Government of Pakistan has joined the Global Plastic Action Partnership to reduce plastic waste and work on different projects that help recycle plastic waste. The committee emphasized the need to find substitutes for plastic rather than imposing a ban on it. The ministry is working with international partners to find environmentally friendly solutions for recycling plastic waste. The committee also discussed the impact of tailpipe emissions from cars on climate change. Senator Asad Ali Junejo suggested making it mandatory for vehicles to get their emission tests every three years, which the committee deferred and directed the ministry to hold a meeting with Excise and Vehicles Inspection cell to address the matter. Additionally, the committee addressed the issue of a chemical factory named Silver Lac Chemical & Allied Industries operating in a residential area in Rawalpindi district without obtaining NOC. However, Senator Seemee Ezdi stated that the matter falls under domain of province and committee is not authorized to take up the matter. The committee also received a briefing on the carbon credits of the billion trees tsunami, including mangrove forests in Sindh.
SBP governor, secretaries attend WB and IMF spring meetings today