Islamabad, Pakistan (CWBN)_ Addressing the virtual United Nations Climate Change Conference (2020), held yesterday (12th Dec) via a recording, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Pakistan is committed to decommissioning its coal power plants, and produce up to 60 percent of its energy requirements using renewable sources, by the year 2030.
Khan also claimed that 30 percent of vehicles used in the country would be battery operated by the same deadline.
“I assure you that Pakistan will be doing its best to make its contribution to mitigate the effects of climate change,” he said.
The PM also noted that even though Pakistan’s overall emissions amount to less than one percent globally, it has been identified as one of the most countries, vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
The Plant for Pakistan Project initiated by the PM’s government in September in 2018 with the target of planting up to 10 billion trees by 2023, was kicked off with a record 1.5 million planted in a single day. It is being reported that project has also revitalised the bee honey industry.
Moreover, Pakistan has extended the number of national parks and protected areas and has scrapped two coal power projects that were expected to generate 2600MWs, rather hydroelectric power generation has been invested in.
Khan also added that “we have decided to produce energy either by coal to liquid or coal to gas, so that we do not have to burn coal to produce energy.”
The climate conference marking five years since the sign off of the Paris Climate Agreement was co-hosted by the UK, France and the UN, with the hopes of reaching “new and ambitious climate change commitments.”
