Making cities environmental-sustainable vital for achieving green economy goals, Romina Khurshid

Islamabad:

Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, Romina Khurshid Alam said that climate change-caused extreme weather events, particularly heat waves and urban flooding incidents are posing grave risk to the lives and livelihoods of the people and public infrastructure.

However, building climate-resilience of the cities against adverse impacts of climate change is crucial for making the urban environmentally-sustainable and resilient- livable places, Ms Alam highlighted.

During a meeting with a delegation led by Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman, Muhammad Ali Randhawa, she outlined several initiatives aimed at transforming the capital into a model of environmental sustainability.

Presiding over the meeting, the PM’s climate aide stressed promoting concepts and implementing policies for climate-resilient urbanisdsation not only can help us address immediate environmental and climate change-related challenges but also promote long-term sustainability, equity, and quality of life in urban areas.

She said further that making cities climate-resilient is not possible without involving a multifaceted approach that includes planning, infrastructure development, community engagement and relevant policy implementation.

The PM’s climate aide highlighted that the country’s several cities are facing significant climate risks, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar. With increasing temperatures, erratic rainfall, and rising sea levels, the need for climate adaptation strategies has never been more urgent.

“The climate change and environmental ministry is taking all-out measures and implementing policies and frameworks to create sustainable urban environments for making cities environmentally-sustainable and climate-resilient so that they can withstand the impacts of climate change while improving the quality of life for residents,” Romina Khurshid Alam told the meeting participants.

During the meeting, Ms Alam emphasized that Islamabad will enhance its green cover and flowering plants, positioning itself as a benchmark for other cities to emulate in achieving sustainability goals.

She also highlighted the importance of addressing climate-related health issues, advocating for the relocation of paper mulberry trees to mitigate pollen allergies affecting residents.

Romina Khurshid suggested that revamping parks across Islamabad to enhance the city’s green spaces and improve recreational areas for residents. It should be aligned with broader environmental goals, including increased tree planting and promoting biodiversity within urban settings.

The CDA chairman briefed Khurshid Alam on various projects focused on urban planning, renewable energy, environmental health, transport, zero waste, and water management, all aimed at developing Islamabad as a smart city.

Notably, the meeting concluded with an agreement for the Climate Ministry and CDA to collaborate on afforestation projects covering 700 acres near Baharakahu.
Additionally, the CDA is developing an extensive bicycle route network to promote sustainable commuting options throughout the city, the chairman informed the meeting.

During her concluding remarks, Romina Khurshid Alam said that while the urban areas contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions as compared to rural areas, developing climate-resilient cities is inevitable for national, regional and global sustainability efforts and reducing overall climate impacts on the people and infrastructure.