KP, World Bank join forces to clear skies, smog action plan takes center stage
PESHAWAR (APP): A high-level consultative meeting on the Smog Action Plan and Air Quality Management for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was held via Zoom with the technical team of the World Bank.
The KP delegation was led by Junaid Khan, Secretary Climate Change, Forest, Environment and Wildlife Department, accompanied by Talha Hussain Faisal, Special Secretary, Ahmad Kamal, Additional Secretary, Faisal Karim Kundi, Member Provincial Assembly, and senior officers from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
During the session, Shafiq, Member of the World Bank Team, highlighted the importance of adopting an airshed-based approach, emphasizing that air pollution does not respect administrative boundaries. He said that emissions originating outside urban centers significantly impact downwind populations, making regional cooperation and cross-boundary pollution control indispensable.
The meeting underscored that meaningful results can only be achieved through multi-sectoral coordination, involving transport, energy, industry, agriculture, urban planning, and local governance institutions, working in systematic harmony rather than isolated silos.
Shafiq further emphasized that achieving the “35 by 35” target — a 35 percent reduction in particulate pollution by 2035 — is both realistic and attainable, provided coordinated policy action, technological upgrades, and public participation are aligned.
He said this ambitious goal would deliver substantial public health, climate resilience, and economic benefits, particularly for vulnerable urban populations.
The World Bank team shared insights derived from satellite-based monitoring, which offers a comprehensive and real-time assessment of PM2.5 exposure patterns across the province. These findings revealed that within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Peshawar Valley remains among the most polluted air basins, facing persistently high concentrations of fine particulate matter, posing serious health risks.
The discussion was aligned with the Pakistan Country Partnership Strategy (2025–2035), which prioritizes climate resilience, sustainable urban development, and environmental governance.
Under the agreed Outcome #4, the focus will be on mitigating common pollution sources across the Greater Peshawar–Hayatabad–Frontier (GP-HF) corridor, identifying key emission sources, and implementing unified control measures such as cleaner fuels, vehicle emission standards, industrial compliance, and improved waste management practices.
It was also agreed to operationalize improved air quality regulations by targeting three strategic action areas includes strengthening enforcement mechanisms, enhancing institutional capacity, and deploying modern monitoring infrastructure.
To support the KP Smog Action Plan, the World Bank will assist in reducing PM2.5 levels through a comprehensive framework that includes regulatory reforms, sector-specific mitigation actions, institutional capacity building, public awareness campaigns, and strategic partnerships.
These interventions are based on findings from five stakeholder engagement sessions and a draft gap analysis report, which identified major bottlenecks in governance, coordination, and technical capacity.
From a governance perspective, Shafiq pointed out challenges such as fragmented institutional coordination, limited real-time monitoring systems, and the absence of a comprehensive emissions inventory, which currently constrain evidence-based policymaking.
Sectoral drivers were also reviewed, highlighting ongoing progress in transport modernization, industrial compliance initiatives, and urban air quality management reforms, while acknowledging the need for accelerated implementation.
In response, Secretary Junaid Khan reaffirmed the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s strong commitment to environmental protection and clean air initiatives. He assured the World Bank team of full departmental cooperation and designated the Special Secretary Climate Change as the official Focal Person to coordinate closely with the World Bank team.
He emphasized that the preparation of the PC-I would be undertaken in true spirit, ensuring transparency, technical rigor, and long-term sustainability to improve air quality, particularly in District Peshawar.
Addressing the meeting, Faisal Kundi, MPA, said that air pollution has emerged as one of the most critical environmental and public health challenges facing the province.
He emphasized that the KP Government, in close collaboration with the Climate Change, Forest, Environment and Wildlife Department, stands fully committed to supporting this noble cause, recognizing that clean air is not merely an environmental necessity but a fundamental right of every citizen.
The meeting concluded with a shared resolve to translate policy dialogue into practical action — transforming blueprints into breathable skies and ensuring a healthier, more resilient future for the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
