Page 68 - CMA Journal (Nov-Dec 2025)

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Most small and medium - sized industries are still However, the present state of affairs on the climate
running on old technologies, causing air and water change front is alarming. If the leadership puts in serious
pollution. There is a dire need to introduce modernization effort, improvements could occur without heavy reliance
and replacement programs to reduce pollution, improve on foreign aid or loans. Unfortunately, rampant
efficiency, and enhance cost-effectiveness. Such a shift corruption has led officials, who are supposed to prevent
requires huge finances and government policies for easy calamities, to be complicit with perpetrators, worsening
and affordable funding, along with duty-free import of adversities. Ground realities repeatedly prove this, with
modern machinery. Industry must also take advantage of heavy floods since 2022 causing economic losses of
the government’s policy shift in the light of Green Pakistan. around USD 38 billion, over 3,000 human lives lost,
millions displaced, and huge infrastructure damaged.
Writ of the Government – Policies, guidelines,
regulations, and schemes are made, but execution is Could we just dismiss this as major natural catastrophes?
often neglected due to lack of follow-up, commitment, The main reason for poor system performance is
and determination. This is where the writ of the unbridled corruption and gross nepotism. Proper
government must be enforced. However, callousness and appointments and promotions must be followed by
procrastination have crept into the system, delaying or letting officials implement existing laws without political
missing implementation. Thus, no claimed or other pressures to achieve positive results.
improvements are visible, and it is imperative to have a Pakistan Green Taxonomy – It is the process of
timeline for the execution of any policy or program. organizing and prioritizing economic activities for the
Floods and smog are glaring examples, where earliest achievement of Green Pakistan, developed with
government restrictions are ignored, resulting in the support of the World Bank. Its purpose is to combat
repeated damages to lives and property. Inordinate climate change through encouraging environmentally
delays in implementing schemes, especially on climate friendly projects in power, agriculture, water, and waste
change, must be treated as a criminal offense, as they management.
negatively affect human lives and cause damage to
property, besides huge cost overruns. Conclusion
Mitigation and Recovery from Disaster – Causes Earth has enough for our needs but not for our greed.
and effects of climate change arise from human Industrial Revolution brought a chain of comforts
interference with nature, mainly through violations of through economic growth but also widened the gap
state regulations. Defiance of laws is often overlooked between rich and poor. Mass production of goods
due to corrupt practices, leading to grave situations. provided some relief in affordability, yet most
Recently, the IMF issued a report indicating corruption innovations remained out of the reach of the poor.
equivalent to 6% of GDP (Rs. 5.3 trillion) during the last Technological advancement was never free of
two years, and yet it represents only a fraction of total environmental damage. Greenhouse gases warmed the
corruption. Under this serious situation of poor planet, polluted air, and melted glaciers. Causes of
governance, confronting climate change remains an climate change are manmade, arising from interference
uphill task until the government demonstrates will, with nature. Although sufficient rules and regulations
sincerity, and commitment through strong leadership. exist to protect against carbon emissions, deforestation,
Climate resilience is possible only by prohibiting unlawful untreated sewage, and uncontrolled solid waste, poor
activities such as deforestation, toxic emissions, governance has failed to enforce control. Humans
untreated effluents into rivers and seas, uncontrolled created the problem, and humans must solve it to save
dumping of solid waste, and unplanned urbanization. humanity and leave a better world for posterity.
This requires proper implementation of law without The problem requires two simultaneous actions by the
undermining state authority or yielding to undue government. One, recover damages already done
pressures from corrupt elements. through plans and schemes, ensuring funds are used
Climate change knows no boundaries. It spreads and with austerity and responsibility. Two, plug loopholes for
affects all. Pakistan contributes less than one percent yet floods, smog, soil erosion, water pollution, etc., through
suffers greatly. Making plans, policies, and schemes is strict compliance with existing rules and regulations,
only part of the solution; the crucial part is ensuring otherwise Green Pakistan may remain a dream.
accountability of those responsible for implementation. Under the present climate situation, responsible officials
A lenient attitude toward culprits would defeat any act independently and arrogantly. To curb this attitude,
program. the government must implement environmental
Government Responsibility – Surprisingly, why do regulations firmly but tactfully, otherwise all measures
we rely on F-16s to kill a cockroach when it could be killed will be futile.
with a slipper? Similarly, climate change could be About the Author: Syed Shamim Ahmed is a senior Chartered
curtailed by demonstrating responsibility, diligence, and Management Accountant having Fellow membership of ICMA. He
commitment from officials. At the federal level, the retired as General Manager Finance from the Karachi Port Trust
Ministry of Climate Change, and at the provincial level, (KPT) where he served for around 22 years in different positions. He
the Department of Forests and Environmental Protection was also a member of the Karachi Dock Labour Board for 7 years.
Agency, are accountable for environmental upkeep. After doing his MBA from IBA Karachi, he started his initial career
with Citibank and then served in Awami Autos (now Pak Suzuki).
ICMA’s Chartered Management Accountant, Nov-Dec 2025