A new concept in urban transport systems is in the offing as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has allocated US$ 223 million for the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), to be launched in collaboration with the City District Government Karachi (CDGK). The BRTS would facilitate the transportation of at least 20,000 passengers on a persons-per-hour-per-direction basis. By Irfan Aligi

City Nazim, Syed Mustafa Kamal, has said that the Mass Transit System (MTS) was the only permanent solution of the transport problems in the city on which initial work will begin this year while a bus rapid system will also be worked out from April with the cooperation of the Asian Development Bank.

Climate Change poses serious security threats for Pakistan

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has short-listed three international consultant firms for a feasibility study of Rapid Mass Transit System (RMTS) between Rawalpindi and Islamabad, a senior official of CDA Planning Wing told Daily Times.

13 December 2007, Lahore, Pakistan

A few weeks ago I organized an academic panel discussion on global climate change and the impact on Pakistan. The speakers were leaders in the field of climate change and sustainable development, and provided a crisp account of the short and long term threats that developing countries such as Pakistan faced in the wake of rapidly increasing air and noise pollution as well as long term weather & climate related ecological changes. By Bilal Zuberi

World Bank / Ministry of Environment-National Stakeholder Conference Document

With growing urbanisation rates, Pakistan will have to contend with the challenge faced by our cities immediately. By Saleem H. Ali

The city government cannot solve traffic problems alone; it requires the participation of the concerned agencies and the public as well. "The chaotic situation we see today is the result of mismanagement and negligence of six decades, therefore, this mess cannot be cleared overnight," said City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal.

A new study of the role played by pollution-filled “brown clouds” over South Asia offers hope that the region may be able to arrest some of the alarming retreat of Himalayan glaciers which provide a lifeline for billions of people by feeding the major rivers in the region, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.

Nadeem Khan, owner of a two-stroke three-wheeler, is worried these days. He is not sure if he will be able to replace his rickshaw with a new four-stroke CNG-fitted one when the ban on two-stroke comes into force by December this year.

Rabail Qadeer Baig explores the possibilities of turning auto-rickshaws from noisy pollution machines to eco-friendly modes of transport

Air pollution causes the death of more than 22,000 adults and 700 children in Pakistan every year in addition to a loss of Rs 365 billion to the country’s economy annually, says a report.

Pakistan has become the first in Asia and third in world after Argentina and Brazil in terms of housing over 1,450 CNG stations while 1,000 more are under construction and the sector has attracted investment of Rs60 billion creating 60,000 jobs across the county, reveals the Economic Survey launched here on Friday.

City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has said that new CNG buses will start plying by this month under the project to induct 8,000 environment-friendly buses in Karachi.

If the government and concerned departments do not take solid steps to combat global warming by adopting environment-friendly polices, the winters will become shorter and it is likely that future tropical cyclones will become more intense, the IUCN (The World Conservation Union) warned.

More than 80 percent of air pollutants in Lahore are generated by diesel buses, two-stroke rickshaws and broken roads, Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Deputy Director Naseemur Rehman Shah told Daily Times on Sunday. By Mansab Dogar

The Environmental Protection Tribunal (EPT) is not satisfied with the performance of the Environment Protection Agency on the issue of discharge of hazardous effluent from major industrial units, according to sources

Like elsewhere in the world, the World Environment Day was observed in the city with a pledge to do away with all those practices harming our environment.

Due to the ever-increasing global warming, the South Asian region is experiencing on average 1 to 2 degrees centigrade rise in temperature with much reduced rainfall. By Khawar Ghumman

The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has urged academia to work on indigenous manufacturing of pollution control devices, efficient in working and competitive in prices to encourage industries for its installation.

Pakistan’s air pollution levels on the rise (by S Raza Hassan)

15 September 2006, Islamabad, Pakistan

Pakistani Minister of State for Environment Malik Amin Aslam said on Wednesday that almost 6 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) is being lost due to environmental degradation.

Press release

13-14 September 2006, Karachi, Pakistan

Speech delivered by Mohammad Aqib of PCAN during the technical session of Earth Day summit organized by "Korangi Association of Trade & Industry (KATI)" on 22 April 2006, Karachi.

Mohammad Aqib, Coordinator for the Pakistan Clean Air Network (PCAN) gave a presentation on CAI-Asia and PCAN at the National Forum on Environment and Health.

by Ahmad Saeed, IUCN Pakistan

Seminar organized by the City District Government of Lahore. Over 100 participants attended including the transport unions, two-stroke rickshaw manufacturers, and representatives from WHO and IUCN. (11 February 2005)

Lead can damage brain and nervous system and lead exposure can cause learning disabilities, intellectual retardation, hearing loss, speech, language, difficulty in concentrating and staying focused and propensity to violence and other serious health effects in children (Dr. Mahmood A. Khwaja)

Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 116, Number 4, April 2008

Brief introduction about Pakistan Environmental Law Association (“PELA”) and a summary of its First Annual Seminar held in 2004 by Jawad Hassan, LL.M. Hassan & Hassan (Advocates)

Compiled by Mohammad Aqib, PCAN

Karachiites are celebrating world environment day with the rest of the world against the backdrop of chopping down of different trees in large numbers, which is increasing the pollution level in the city. By Qadeer Tanoli