Pakistan’s Finance Minister, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, has allocated Rs. 4 billion for promoting electric bikes (e-bikes) and Rs. 2 billion for energy-saving fans in the latest 2024-25 Budget. These funds are aimed at reducing carbon emissions from transportation and lowering energy consumption.
However, the success of the e-bike promotion is still uncertain. In a previous e-bike scheme, half of the bikes turned out to be regular motorcycles due to a shortage of e-bikes in Pakistan. Furthermore, the Punjab E-Bike Scheme faced a lot of restrictions from the Lahore High Court (LHC) that more or less thought that students would use these vehicles to date or stalk each other.
Senator Aurangzeb emphasized the government’s commitment to combating climate change, acknowledging Pakistan’s vulnerability to its effects. He announced the creation of the Pakistan Climate Change Authority, which will implement plans to mitigate climate change and help Pakistan adapt to its impacts.
Additionally, a National Climate Finance Strategy is being developed and is expected to be completed by October 2024. This strategy will focus on securing international funding for climate projects that aim to reduce carbon emissions in Pakistan.
The Finance Minister also mentioned the introduction of gender and climate budget tagging in the government’s budgeting system. This new feature is designed to improve policy making and implementation in areas related to gender and climate.
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