Panel discussion at the Kashmir Institute of Management conducted by Mr. Mahmood Akhtar Cheema, Country Representative IUCN Pakistan

In his presentation Mr. Cheema gave an overview of IUCN in Pakistan and elaborated on the expected environmental impacts of China Pakistan Economic Corridor. He said that with an increase in number of industries the greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels may lead to a failure to comply with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The increase in air pollution will carry huge public health costs.

There is an increased risk of oil spills in the deep sea Gwadar Port and consequent harm to the marine life and destruction to wetlands along the coastline. He emphasized on the need to declare Marine Protected Areas.

The threat to the biodiversity, sensitive mountainous ecosystems and the watersheds along the CPEC corridor also persists. 

He strongly recommended the strategic environmental assessment for all the large scale initiatives. He said that in Azad Jammu and Kashmir the Environment Impact Assessments have been conducted for individual hydro projects along Jehlum river, but they lack the Biodiversity Management Plans at the River Basin Level. Therefore he made a suggestion for a combined Biodiversity Management Plan for all the hydro projects on the river basin level. He also enumerated the recommendations for environmental safeguards and IUCN potential role in the CPEC.

He also suggested a Strategic Environmental Assessments for the Bhimber Economic Zone and the other special Economic Zones. 

The management of the Kashmir Institute of Management appreciated the role of IUCN in sharing the knowledge and presenting the aspects of mainstreaming environment in CPEC.