Islamabad: Prime Minister’s climate aide, Romina Khurshid Alam, praised the efforts of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration in transitioning to renewable energy and addressing the city’s vulnerability to climate impacts. She detailed a series of initiatives aimed at making Islamabad a model for environmentally-sustainable and climate-smart urban development.

According to Press Information Department, Alam highlighted the proposed AI-based solution to improve air quality, which is currently above the World Health Organization’s interim permissible limits. She pointed out that the air pollution issue is exacerbated by increasing levels of emissions from gasoline and diesel-fueled vehicles. The transition to green energy, including the promotion and adoption of electric vehicles and urban forestry, is expected to enhance air quality, reduce health risks, and attract more international tourists.

Alam also discussed various policies and initiatives such as the electric bus service, climate change fund (CCF), Margalla Hills Fund (MHF), and Carbon Credit Programme (CCP) that have been introduced to enhance the climate resilience and environmental sustainability of Islamabad and its surrounding areas. She emphasized the importance of collective efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

The introduction of the electric bus service in ICT is particularly noteworthy for its environmental benefits. “These buses emit no pollutants, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution compared to traditional diesel-powered buses,” Alam said, adding that electric buses can be 2.5 times cleaner in terms of lifecycle emissions than diesel buses.

Further, under the CCP, 4 to 5 million trees are planned to be planted over areas ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 kanals across the capital city. Additionally, Alam mentioned that 1.5 percent of revenue generated from recreational spots in Margalla Hills under MHF will be allocated to protect and conserve the natural resources of the Margalla Hills National Park.

Alam encouraged other cities’ administrations to adopt Islamabad’s model for climate action, focusing on the use of renewable energy, adoption of electric vehicles, promotion of urban forestry, and climate-resilient construction to achieve environmental sustainability goals.