The federal government has proposed bringing the Pakistan Climate Change Authority under the Ministry of Climate Change as part of amendments to the Pakistan Climate Change Act, 2017, that would also change the composition, powers, and functioning of the country’s climate governance institutions.
A bill introduced in the National Assembly proposes placing the authority’s functions and powers within the ministry’s administrative framework, alongside changes to the Pakistan Climate Change Council.
Under the proposed amendments, the federal ministers for industries and health would become members of the council. The prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan would also join the council.
The bill proposes reducing the number of non-official council members from 20 to 15. These members would include climate change experts, scientists, researchers, academics and private sector representatives.
It also seeks to reduce the minimum number of council meetings from two to one annually.
The proposed amendments would expand the council’s powers by allowing it to issue directions for the protection of forests, wildlife and biodiversity.
The bill also proposes increasing the membership of the Pakistan Climate Change Authority from nine to 12, with representation from AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Under the proposed legislation, the authority’s chairperson would serve a two-year term, with the prime minister empowered to grant a further two-year extension.
The proposed changes aim to restructure Pakistan’s climate governance institutions. The bill remains subject to the legislative process and must be approved by Parliament before the amendments can take effect. Currently, under the Pakistan Climate Change Act, 2017, the Pakistan Climate Change Council is the apex climate policy body, chaired by the Prime Minister, rather than operating under the Ministry of Climate Change.
The post Pakistan Proposes to Bring Climate Change Authority Under Ministry Control appeared first on ProPakistani.