On Thursday, the 14th of October, 2021, the Centre for Chinese Legal Studies (CCLS), Shaikh Ahmad Hassan School of Law (SAHSOL), Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), organized a virtual Conference on ‘China and the Environment: Lessons for Pakistan.’ Speakers included Dr. Khalid Mir, Associate Professor, Economics Department, LUMS; Mr. Ahmad Rafay Alam, a renowned environmental lawyer and activist; and, Professor Uzair Kayani, Head of the Department, SAHSOL, LUMS. The conference was moderated by the Director of CCLS, Professor Sikander Shah.
The virtual conference started off by highlighting how Chinese activities impact the global environment and the lessons Pakistan can glean from China’s current environmental governance model.
Professor Khalid Mir brought a theoretical flavor to the discussion by delineating the environmental catastrophes faced by the world today. He insisted that a mere economic analysis is insufficient, and an exclusive focus on economic theory, capitalism, GDP and income will not yield answers. He argued for the necessity of incorporating legal, economic, scientific, political, and ethical dimensions while discussing any policy directives to address climate change.
The second speaker, Mr. Ahmad Rafay Alam, discussed the practical implications of the existential threat posed by climate change and China's environmental policymaking. He remarked that the air quality index (AQI) in Beijing compelled Chinese policymakers to take concrete steps to mitigate air pollution. He raised critical points on Chinese environmental planning by sharing the presentation of Ma Jun, former Chief Economist at the People's Bank of China. Effective contextual research, depoliticized environmental plans beyond election cycles, capturing private sector finances, and ensuring financial system and sustainability compatibility in Pakistan were the prominent take-aways of his discussion. He reasserted the need to question the unaccountability of the current economic framework that relies on accumulation and exploitation of resources, and emphasized the need to raise ethical questions to prevent any future civilizational collapse driven by climate change.
Towards the end, Professor Uzair Kayani presented the recent findings of the International Energy Agency (IEA) on China’s carbon emissions, accounting for a quarter of global emissions due to its heavy reliance on fossil fuels. He discussed that the environmental policy laid out in the 14th Five Year Plan of China offers more hopeful projections, as the service-based economy is thriving, and the Chinese government has strengthened its resolve to reach peak emissions by 2030 and go carbon-neutral by 2060. He also suggested to look beyond the stigma associated with nuclear energy and explore the responsible utilization of nuclear energy as climate change grows into an immediate existential threat to sentient beings.
Professor Sikander Shah thanked the speakers and the audience for their participation and concluded the conference by reiterating the drivers of climate change.
