47. Pakistan Economic Survey 2011-12 - Consultancy Services in ...

Pakistan Economic Survey 2011-12The national environmental legislation (PakistanEnvironment Protection Agency 1997), as well asthe international financial institutions’ (IFIs)safeguards require that environmental and socialassessments are carried out and managementplans/frameworks are prepared prior toundertaking the interventions such as thoserecommended in the floods Damage and NeedAssessment. However, details of the specificactivities associated with the individualreconstruction and recovery plans in the majorityof sectors are not currently known, hence thepotentially adverse environmental and socialimpacts of these activities cannot be identified.Instead, it is proposed that a broad Environmentaland Social Screening and Assessment Framework(ESSAF) be prepared for the overall reconstructionand recovery needs.The ESSAF will define the environmental andsocial screening and assessment requirements ofindividual projects or interventions, and will guidethe implementing agencies in identifying theappropriate type and level of environmental andsocial assessment to be carried out prior toundertaking each project or intervention incompliance with national as well as IFI’s safeguardrequirements. The ESSAF will also define therequirements for preparing appropriateenvironmental and social documents, and obtainingapprovals/clearances of these documents from therelevant agencies. To ensure implementation ofESSAF, it is further proposed that each line agency(Provincial Disaster Management Authority /District Disaster Management Authority) appointsan environmental and social focal person withinthe department.ConclusionThe Government of Pakistan has undertakenvarious steps to combat the negative impacts ofclimate change. This chapter provided an accountof institutional change, including raisingawareness, developing strategy and policies, andimplementing programmes to actively address andreverse adversities faced due to global warmingand the resultant climate change. The state ofPakistan’s atmosphere, including air and waterquality, state of forestry, and coastal resourceswere described, identifying the key challenges thatremain in these areas as well as new strategies thathave been adopted (REDD+) by the government.The chapter identifies that it will be crucial tocarefully evaluate disaster response and rebuildingstrategies to make sure that they areenvironmentally sustainable.246