Punjab Green Credit Program to Combat Climate Change

News Desk

Islamabad: As one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, Pakistan has been taking multiple steps to address its environmental challenges.

One such initiative is the Punjab government’s Green Credit Programme, designed to establish the groundwork for an emission trading system in the province while promoting eco-friendly behaviour among youth, students, women, and the wider community.

Under this programme, the government has partnered with a private company to recycle single-use plastics. Beginning next month, the company will install locally-made machines — developed with Chinese technology — in four major universities in Lahore. These machines will also be placed in public markets across the city.

The recycling machines feature two compartments and are simple to use. Users can press button A, insert a plastic bottle, enter their phone number, and then press button B. The system will display the earned green credits, which can also be tracked through a mobile app.

According to Gulfam Abid, the company’s chairman, Lahore generates about 500 tonnes of plastic bottle waste daily. The installed machines will help recycle these bottles and single-use plastic utensils, which will then be transformed into construction materials like sidewalk tiles, bricks, and road patches.

Abid noted that users could earn up to Rs1,000 by recycling 20 bottles of 1.5 litres or 40 bottles of half a litre. The initiative is not limited to the general public — around 18,000 junkyards in Lahore can also participate. Using the mobile app, they can arrange for the company to collect plastic waste directly from them.