The Ministry of Climate Change, Government of Pakistan in collaboration with UN Environment and GEF organized “Final Workshop for Validation of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Inventories and Development of Action Plans for POPs Management in Pakistan”.
The workshop objectives included to present current status of the POPs inventories in Pakistan and validation, to give an overview and discuss on action plan activity options for the POPs groups, to discuss individual action plans options and adopt to Pakistan circumstances, to introduce the link between POPs management and related SAICM key issues and to introduce the NIP guidance and the suggested structure of NIP.
Ms. Zartaj Gul, Minister of State, Ministry of Climate Change was the Chief Guest on the occasion, Mr. Hammad Shamimi, Joint Secretary (IC)/Focal Point NIP Project, Ministry of Climate Change, Islamabad, Dr Zaigham Abbas, Deputy Director (Chemical)/NPC NIP Project, Ministry of Climate Change, Islamabad, Dr. Roland Weber, POPs Environmental Consulting International Consultant, UNEP, Dr Naeem Akhtar NationalConsultant-POPs, Ms. Mehreen Iqbal, National Consultant on UPOPs, Dr. Jabir Hussain Syed, National Consultant-New POPs, Dr. Jabir Hussain Syed, National Consultant-New POPs and Mr. Muhammad Mureed Rahimoon Deputy Secretary (IC), Ministry of Climate Change, senior officials of MoCC, SDPI, UN Environment, GEF, civil society, industry experts and academicians were also present on the occasion.
The Chief Guest on the occasion, Ms. Zartaj Gul, Minister of State, Ministry of Climate Change acknowledged that Pakistan has succeeded in becoming part of a regional and global programme which endeavors to create a network of stakeholders and Governments. Currently, Ministry of Climate Change are implementing two projects namely “Comprehensive reduction and elimination of POPs in Pakistan and “Review and update of NIP for POPs in Pakistan” which are funded by Global Environment Facility (GEF) through United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Pakistan.
She further said that, Pakistan is developing an action plan to tackle PFOS in the updated National Implementation Plan for protection of the ground water and drinking water”.
Dr. Roland Weber, POPs Environmental Consulting International Consultant, UNEP said that, The global situation of PCBs management is challenging for all developing countries. The UN Environment assessment shows that still 14 million tonnes of PCBs containing equipment and oils need to be managed by 2028 which is a large burden for developing countries. Pakistan is fortunate to have a PCBs project with UNDP where progress is made in Pakistan. But it requires a good cooperation between the stakeholders including industries to achieve a smooth assessment and management of PCBs in our country.
Dr. Zaigham Abbas, Deputy Director (Chemical)/Incharge-National Coordination Unit, Ministry of Climate Change said, Government of Pakistan is fully committed of its national and international obligations towards the conservation and preservation of environment for the sake of our existing and future generations. Pakistan has
taken various initiatives for the protection of environment over the past two decades and is a party to 14 International Conventions/Protocols under Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs).
At the end of the workshop, the participants have acquired the knowledge on inventory status and outcomes for the major POPs groups, shared experience and POPs inventory – gaps and approaches to close gaps, knowledge on major action plan activity options for managing POPs in the life cycle and preliminary action plan drafts adjusted to the Pakistan circumstances.
Published in Daily Times, February 15th 2019.
