ISLAMABAD – A meeting was held at the CDA headquarters under the chairmanship of Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman and Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Muhammad Ali Randhawa, to review measures for environmental improvement and the carbon credit program in the capital. The session was attended by Member Environment Esfandyar Baloch, DG Environment, and senior CDA officials, while former Chief Conservator of Forests Sindh, Hyder Raza, and his team joined via Zoom.
Chairman Randhawa said that the CDA is pursuing comprehensive plans to enhance Islamabad’s environmental standards, with a focus on fully utilizing global frameworks such as carbon credits.
He highlighted that several initiatives are already underway to qualify for carbon credits, including converting brown land into green spaces, upgrading the Gardenia Hub nursery, improving solid waste management, and introducing 160 electric buses. These projects, he noted, will not only help curb pollution but also transform Islamabad into a sustainable and eco-friendly city aligned with global benchmarks.
The chairman appreciated the expertise of the Sindh Forest Department, adding that CDA aims to benefit from their experience in environmental management. He announced that the Chief Conservator of Forests Sindh will provide technical assistance in the pre-documentation stage of the carbon credit program, ensuring more effective integration of carbon credit opportunities into CDA projects.
Randhawa further emphasized that Pakistan’s major cities face serious climate and environmental challenges, which require strong collaboration between provincial and federal institutions. Through inter-provincial cooperation, he said, Pakistan can strengthen its role in the global carbon credit program.
He stressed the need for continuous communication and effective coordination between technical teams from both sides, underscoring that a structured working mechanism must be developed to ensure practical progress on the carbon credit program in Islamabad.+
