The Australian High Commissioner Zorica McCarthy called on the Minister for Environment, Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi here on Friday and discussed the issues of mutual co-operation in the area of environment.
The Australian High Commissioner apprised the minister that Australia and Pakistan have similar environmental problems and her government would like to enhance co-operation with Pakistan in the areas of environment.
She said that Australia can help Pakistan by providing expertise in to tackle the issues of climate change, deforestation and developing clean development mechanism (CDM) projects. Speaking on the occasion the Minister for Environment said that Pakistan greatly values its relations with Australia and suggestion that both the countries should support war on environmental degradation and climate change. He said that Pakistan would benefit from technical expertise, knowledge and cleaner technologies of Australia for control of environmental pollution.
He said that there is need to enhance mutual co-operation between the Ministry of Environment and Australian Ministry of Environment to seek technical help, exchange of knowledge and expertise in the fields of agriculture, water management, forestry and climate change.
Clean development mechanism, capacity building of marine related institutions to deal with emergencies and integrated municipal and industrial solid and liquid waste management systems. He said that Australian government's assistance to implement the national environment, sanitation and energy conservation policies may be helpful to offset environmental damage costs and energy demand in the country.
He said that Pakistan has a dire need for equipment, with necessary infrastructure for establishment of laboratories for standard testing capacity. Australian government may help Pakistan in providing technical expertise and necessary infrastructure and equipment for establishing such laboratories.