Called “Climate Change in Pakistan: Institutional Arrangements and Alternative Sources of Energy” the agreement aims at developing institutional framework for implementation of national climate change related policies and building and strengthening capacity of government officials for better implementation of climate change related policies. Views of civil society will also be incorporated and mapping of current use of different sources of energy will be carried out. The agreement asks for analyzing the expected policy on climate change, review of institutional arrangements of few selected countries and implementation of climate change policy in Pakistan. Impacts of climate change are evident in Pakistan which is facing multiple threats from climate change. Agriculture sector is one example where low productivity, water shortage, mismanagement etc are further worsening the situation. Studies show that wheat and rice production will decline due to climate change.

Despite the pertinent need for responding to climate change, the current policy framework to address climate change in Pakistan failed to comprehensively tackle the issue. However, it was encouraging that the Government of Pakistan took some steps to address climate change. Pakistan is currently working on a series of policy responses to climate change including adaptation policies, NAMA, energy policies etc. Moreover, it established the National Task Force on Climate Change which had been delegated the role of developing a National Climate Change Policy. It must be recognized, however, that the desired operation of any climate change policy would only follow if there are certain institutional arrangements already in place. The forthcoming National Climate Change Policy of Pakistan overlooks this dimension and fails to give an adequate provision for implementation of the policy.

Believing that it is essential to provide a strategic framework for the institutional arrangements for implementation of the climate change policies in Pakistan, the creation of a framework will depend on an initial analysis and evaluation of the existing systems as well as incorporating the demands placed by an ambitious climate change policy. SDPI had proposed to map out the current usage of different sources of energy in the country while also documenting different interventions undertaken by the government in the alternative energy sector. Based on this information, an analysis of the potential of renewable sources in the energy mix will be concluded. SDPI also suggested to discus gender issue which can be included in the institutional framework.

Press releases:

• The News
• Daily Times
• Daily Times Comment: A solution for the energy crisis By Bilal Naqeeb