Environmental Laws and Policies in Pakistan

Abstract

Be a part of the solution; not a part of pollution. “We don’t have a society if we destroy the environment. (Margret Mead)”. Since the creation of mankind, the human and environment are closely devoted to each other. With the development of the socio-economic activity, several drastic environmental crises have developed with severe environmental repercussions. No nation cannot overlook environmental variation. Governments implement stringent policies and laws to protect the environment at any cost. Pakistan has also introduced a variety of laws regarding the environment but the implementation of these laws is a major concern. Investigating environmental laws is a vast topic to handle. In this particular research, the objective is to investigate two major destructive bumps of the environment in Pakistan – “air and water pollution”. Water and Air pollution is a global top of the list issue and Pakistan is also no exception in this regard. Environment and economic growth suffer in water and air pollution as it directly relates to human health. This research also debates impacts of water and air pollution on the health of Pakistani population as highlighted by various health institutes and World Health Organization (WHO) along with the discussion on the environmental laws and policies and their implementation in the Pakistani scenario. There is a need systematic of systematic integration of governance and environmental concerns along with the development of value system and policies at the local and national level. Lots of development have been surfaced in the last five decades regarding environment governance by making it an integral part of the public policy, development planning and decision making. This qualitative research also highlights major gaps hindering the sustainable mainstreaming of environmental laws and policies in Pakistan. The study will also help spread

awareness about the gravity of environmental concerns especially in the wake of developmental projects of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).