Green Milestones: A Chronology of Environmental Legislations in Pakistan

Abstract

Over time, it has been observed that countries are encountering with the evolving threats of climate change and the environment. The new emerging environmental issues have led countries to design and reassess the existing environmental policies. Like other countries, Pakistan is also facing many environmental challenges, ranging from soil erosion to loss of biodiversity. Since its independence in 1947, Pakistan has formed many environmental policies and frameworks to tackle its ecological challenges. This study has highlighted the legislation from environmental concerns into three distinct phases: 1) Post-Independence era from 1947 to 1972, a time period in which limited progress was made for ecological policy formation. 2) From the Stockholm Conference (1972) to the turn of the millennium (2000) – an era in which climate crisis concerns were recognized. 3) A journey from 2000 to the present – an era of transition to ecological sustainability. For a developing country like Pakistan, there are significant obstacles in the way of the successful execution of these legislations. The current study provides insights that Pakistan needs to formulate and revise its environmental policies to address its climate change challenges to promote environmentally sustainable development.