PCI, SDPI Join Hands to Make CPEC Eco-friendly

News Desk

Islamabad: Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) and Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) hosted the first-of-its-kind Green China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Alliance on Wednesday.

The goal of the establishment of the Green CPEC Alliance with members from both countries’ governments, investors, as well as civil society and environmental experts, is to support, accelerate, and promote this transition within Pakistan and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Pakistan-China Institute Chairman Mushahid Hussain Sayed said the Alliance aims to make CPEC green and decarbonized by supporting a re-direction of Chinese infrastructure investments away from emission-intensive investments and towards green infrastructure projects, e.g., from coal to renewable energy, like wind, solar, and hydropower.

Senator Mushahid emphasized to prioritize the need for a green Pakistan, including redefining the notion of national security from a military-centric approach to Human Security, cantering on climate change, population planning, food security, and water scarcity.

China’s acting ambassador, Pang Chunxue, emphasized Chinese initiatives like the International Green Development Coalition, which have to their roots the objective of ensuring that all Chinese investments that are part of the Belt and Road Initiative are made green.

She talked about the various hydropower and solar power plants that have been built as alternatives to the coal power projects, which are currently benefiting the people of Pakistan by addressing their energy needs.

China Three Gorges (CTG) Corporation CEO Zhang Jun said that CTG was committed to its mission statement to provide clean energy and build beautiful communities together.

The CTG is playing an important role in the implementation of the CPEC, which is a bilateral agreement between the Chinese and Pakistani governments for regional connectivity and infrastructure development.

“We believe that the CPEC agreement will provide huge socio-economic advantages to the people of both China and Pakistan, and we hope that in the future, we will be able to contribute to more clean projects under the CPEC project that will provide even more socio-economic benefits, Zhang Jun said.

CEO Habib Bank Limited (HBL), Muhammad Aurangzeb, said that HBL is closely linked with CPEC projects in their financing as well as structuring. Commenting on CPEC Phase-2, the senior banker said Phase-2 was all about building further on the first phase of the project which has improved transport infrastructure and alleviated the energy crisis in Pakistan.

HBL Aurangzeb also expressed hope that the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) being developed under CPEC, like the Rashakai SEZ, would boost industrialization in the country.

Seeing this as a great opportunity, the HBL has already opened a branch in Rashakai, as he informed the launch participants. It is worthy to note that HBL is the signatory to the Green Investment Principles for greening investment in the Belt and Road.

Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) Executive Director Dr Abid Suleri termed the launch of the “Green CPEC Alliance” a timely initiative since humanity is facing the question of survival in lieu of the looming threat of climate change.

Appreciating China’s role in leading initiatives to combat climate change, Dr Suleri said Beijing has much to offer developed as well as developing countries in terms of enhancing their capacity to combat climate change.

Senate Committee on Climate Change Chairperson Senator Seemin Ezdi said that Pakistan contributes less than 1 percent to climate change but is the 8th most affected country in the world.

It is the need of the hour, she maintained, to plan for the future since it is an issue that affects the whole of humanity, not just the countries responsible for it. Senator Ezdi expressed happiness with China’s desire to pursue green development through the CPEC.