ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Senate on Friday passed the Pakistan Climate Change Bill, 2017 unanimously aimed at tackling challenges of global warming.
The Minister for Climate Change Zahid Hamid moved the bill in the Upper House of the Parliament.
While giving the salient features of the bill, the minister said it was extremely important bill and Pakistan ranked 7th in list of more vulnerable country to impacts of climate change.
The minister said that Pakistan was 135th in the list of countries which contributed to emit green house effects.
“By passing the Bill, Pakistan will join five countries in the world that have demonstrated their commitment to combating the adverse effects of the shifting climate by enacting laws specifically for the purpose,” Zahid Hamid said.
Besides formulating adaptation and mitigation policies to tackle effects of climate change, the bill focuses on the establishment of the Pakistan Climate Change Authority.
Zahid Hamid said that Pakistan ratified Paris convention on global warming.
The statement of object and reasons of the bill says, the framework for implementation of the National Climate Change Policy for the period 2014-2030 serves to integrate climate-friendly policies into our national and economic planning. It is considered necessary to establish an independent Pakistan Climate Change Authority which will under the guidance of a high-powered Pakistan Climate Change Council, provide a framework for mitigating and adapting to the effects of the changing climate on various sectors of the economy.
The bill also established a Pakistan Climate Change Fund, managed by a Board. Money from the Fund will be utilized to meet expenses of the both the Authority and the Fund itself and for financial assistance to suitable adaptation and mitigation projects and measures designed inter-alia to combat the adverse effects of climate change.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Senator Azam Khan Swati and Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman also appreciated the bill and said it would help address the climate change issues.
The minister lauded the lawmakers for passing the bill unanimously.
