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STAFF REPORT LHR: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has announced the formation of a sophisticated commission to ensure implementation on National Climate Change Policy (NCCP), 2012 and the Framework for Implementation of Climate Change Policy 2014-2030.
According to the sources, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah passed the order to establish the commission while hearing a petition urging implementation of NCCP and the framework. The commission will comprise of 20 members including secretaries of Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC), Ministry of Water and Power, Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Planning and Development.
The hearings from various federal ministry representatives were held during the court proceedings which failed emphatically to establish the practical measures taken to implement the policy and the framework. Thus, prompting Justice Mansoor Ali to state in his written order, “In order to expedite the matter and to effectively implement the fundamental rights of the people of the Punjab, the Climate Change Commission is constituted. The commission can seek assistance of the federal or provincial government, ministries or departments. The ministries are directed to render full assistance to the commission”.
The challenge of climate change requires no laxity in implementation of the policies in order to curb its impacts on various sectors including health, agriculture, energy, water scarcity, infrastructure etc and this decision can prove to be the dawn after the dark night.