BRIEF
ON THE NSDS STRUCTURE IN PAKISTAN:
Pakistan developed its National Conservation Strategy (NCS) in
1992. NCS was developed with a greater focus on conservation of
natural resources, sustainable development and improved efficiency
in the use and management of natural resources. The Mid Term Review
(MTR) of NCS done in the year 2000 suggested the following:
- NCS should be fully Owned by the key
partners and stakeholders including government;
- Switch from top down and supply driven
to bottom up demanded driven approach; and
- Prepare NCS-II
to serve as the Pakistan’s National Sustainable Development
Strategy (NSDS), with greater emphasis on poverty reduction
and economic development in addition to environmental sustainability;
Recommendations made in the NCS-MTR laid foundation for the development
of the National Sustainable Development Strategy for Pakistan.
NSDS Process:
The Ministry of Environment has already started preparations
for developing NSDS for Pakistan with the technical and financial
support of the UNEP regional office for Asia and Pacific. For
this purpose the Pakistan Sustainable Development Policy Institute
(SDPI) has been engaged as the Local Collaborative Center and
the NCS Resource Center of the Ministry is serving as the focal
point for NSDS in Pakistan. The process involve developing the
NSDS guidelines and report and the draft report will be shared
with the national, provincial and district level line departments,
civil society, private sector and individual experts through a
consultative process. The final NSDS report will be got approved
by the government and implemented in Pakistan.
NSDS primarily focus on integrating the economic, social and
environmental development and address them in a holistic manner.
NSDS offers opportunities to integrate all the sustainable development
related policies and a strategy existing in Pakistan. since environment
is not an infrastructural or productive sector concern. This is
not a social sector facility provider. Instead it is a cross –
sectoral phenomena. Current assessment of the Poverty Reduction
Strategy of Pakistan (PRSP) has revealed the fact that poverty-environment
issues have not been properly addressed in most of the countries.
An “NSDS” typically may provide an opportunity to build on the
existing PRSPs with integration of economic, social and environmental
objectives. Poverty-health and environment nexus has emerged in
Pakistan over the decades.
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