MEDIA

Economics Department News in the Media

The profit motive

"The [Pakistan Vision 2025] pillar of private sector-led growth, for example, is a poisonous strategy for Pakistan's environment because the country has yet to formulate comprehensive regulations and strategies of intervention to deincentivise the private sector from polluting the environment.

While the Punjab Growth Strategy 2018 recognises climate change, it only protects the environment when it helps increase productivity and the profits of various sectors. In other words, environmental protection is a means for Pakistan to achieve profit maximisation rather than an end in itself to protect human existence.

We seem to be doing just enough to satisfy the international agencies and obtain funding and grants to increase revenues. We are ignoring the need for serious, direct action to protect the environment. In this context, bills like the Pakistan Climate Change Act 2017 do not give us much hope."

This Op-ed has been written by Aqeel Awan, MPhil in Development student at GIDS, Lahore School of Economics.