Pakistan

Pakistan faces many environmental challenges which need to addresses since the economy is dependent on its natural resources. These challenges are grouped in two broad categories with varying degrees of impact. The first, arises from a combination of poverty and population growth, leading to the over-exploitation of natural resources, and the second, emanates from the largely unplanned increase in industrialization and urbanization, leading to the pollution of water, air and land. The poor are disproportionately affected by this environmental degradation and lack of access to clean, affordable energy services.

In order to support the Government to meet these challenges, UNDP Pakistan works closely with the Ministry of Environment, Local Government and Rural Development to assist in implementing the national environment agenda. The programmes focuses, in an integrated way, on different aspects of the environment: natural resources management, multi-level capacity building for decision-making, mainstreaming environment into the development process, and advocacy.

In 2008, UNDP initiated a number of projects to address Pakistan’s environmental issues. The Mass Awareness for Water Conservation and Development project addresses the issue of water shortages. The Renewable Energy Project aims at removing barriers to the adoption of renewable energy technologies, particularly in Pakistan’s remote areas. The National Capacity for Self Assessment for Global Environmental Management in Pakistan Project works with the government to identify national environmental priorities. It also identifies capacity building gaps to implement the three Rio Conventions – bio-diversity (Convention on Biodiversity), land degradation (UN Convention to Combat Desertification) and climate change (UN Framework Convention Climate Change).