ISLAMABAD: Speakers at a webinar on Tuesday pointed out that disaster risk reduction should go hand in hand with urban expansion with rigorous implementation of environment impact assessment and proper land-use policies and plans.

The webinar on ‘Urban resilient infrastructure in Pakistan’was organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).

Aisha Khan, Executive Director for Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change, urged the need for strengthening urban systems to withstand challenges of mounting energy demands, land-use changes, loss of green spaces to urban expansion and development, pressure on road network, pollution, solid waste management and wastewater management etc.

She said energy efficient constructions, sensitising the public on responsible consumption of energy and other resources, were critical to prevent climate change from further exaggerating. She said groundwater abstractions were adding pressure and after years of deliberation no groundwater regulatory framework or water tariff regime had been accomplished.

Say urban systems need to be strengthened to withstand challenges

Ms Khan said that the system of surface water drainage and mass transit must be enhanced to meet the urban expansion rate, adding rainwater catchment remained a neglected aspect of urban planning.

As a transit city to tourist areas in Pakistan, the pressure on the health infrastructure in Islamabad has increased manifold and no capacity enhancement has been planned or executed. She said Islamabad as the capital and planned city should have been developed as a model solarised city.

Mubushar Hussain, Manager Disaster Risk Reduction, National Disaster Risk Management Fund, said that NDRMF was working on disaster resilience and disaster risk management throughout Pakistan by issuing call for proposals, funding and executing disaster resilience projects in collaboration with public and private sector.

The organisation is also worked on building risk management capacity at the community level for quick response to natural disasters keeping in view the recurrent and intense nature of such events.

He explained that NDRMF was funding early warning systems, heath systems post-Covid-19 and nature-based solutions for ecosystem restoration and climate adaptation. It is also developing a mechanism for risk transfer through disaster risk insurance based on a holistic funding model.

He explained the funding model aims for market based, sustainable products and data to reduce fiscal burden on government. Currently, in urban areas unplanned expansion and encroachment has significantly impacted surface drainage system. NDRMF is providing financing to the most vulnerable cities to develop these systems.

He called for research and development, technology-based solutions and re-evaluation of master plans every three years for climate smart resilient infrastructure.

Nabeel Siddiqui, CEO Modulus Tech, said climate smart housing was affordable, resource efficient, low carbon footprint and adhered to the SDGs agenda. He said while the previous government presented policy plans for affordable housing for low-income groups, it did not address the issue of energy consumption and subsequent emissions. He pointed out that 40 per cent of emissions from housing was generated due to energy consumption.

He stressed the need on a holistic approach to develop ideal net zero self-sustaining communities rather than implementing individual SDGs in isolated efforts.

Dr Hina Aslam, Research Fellow SDPI, said there was no more time for climate change mitigation rather adaptation and action must be focused proactively. She appreciated the initiative of mandatory implementation of urban plan for developing resilient infrastructure, land-use plan and robust environmental impact assessment.

She said unplanned and unchecked expansion and encroachment of urban sprawls engulfing agricultural lands was increasing pressure on resources and undermining resilience to climate change and climate induced disasters.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2022