Sajid Irfan

The government of Pakistan needs to focus on environment-friendly projects to control emissions of dangerous gases and reduce the impacts of climate change, WealthPK reports. Pakistan is bearing the brunt of climate change.

More than 800,000 houses were destroyed and about 1.5 million were partially damaged in the country by the recent devastating floods. The government should build climate-resilient houses in flood-affected areas to prevent vast-scale devastation in the future.

Figure 1: Climate-resilient house

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing and Works told WealthPK that the first international housing expo was being held in Islamabad for management of the rapid urbanisation and promotion of green energy housing schemes. He said that the gentrification of federal government land and the development of national urban infrastructure were also included in the objectives of the expo. “A major goal of the expo is to promote the real estate business and ensure safe housing for all.

It is meant to encourage approved housing projects and strengthen the construction industry in the country,” he added. He said that according to the federal minister of housing and works, the recent flood brought huge devastation to Pakistan as it destroyed millions of houses and caused losses of more than Rs1.2 trillion. “The government needs to focus on devising effective policies to promote environment-friendly projects and greenhouses that can mitigate the impacts of floods and other climate-induced risks,” he added.

Figure 2: Rapid Urbanization

The spokesperson said that Pakistan would see growing urbanisation in the future with 60% of its population expected to shift to cities. “It is the need of the hour to focus on sustainable urbanisation and provide better municipal services in the cities to reduce pressure on urban communities,” he added. He said that it was the responsibility of the government to provide affordable housing to people but it needed the help of the private sector.

He added that Capital Development Authority (CDA) should allocate land to the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) to build housing units, universities and hospitals for traders. The spokesperson said that Pakistan was at high risk of climate change and natural disasters. For years, earthquakes and floods disrupted the urban areas of the country. They regularly swept away the foundations on which the lives of hundreds of thousands of families were built.

“Pakistan has been hit by one of the most devastating floods in its history. The primary causes of such heavy damage are flaws in urban planning and climate change. The development of rural and urban areas should be carefully planned,” he said. He said that many cities and infrastructures had been washed away by floods. “It is time that we must redesign and plan these cities afresh through proper planning and well-designed infrastructure. Without reforms and urban planning, high and sustainable growth is not achievable,” the spokesperson told WealthPK.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk