Pakistan setting up world's largest 1,000 MW solar park

Pakistan is setting up the world's largest solar park of 1,000 megawatts as part of its plan to promote production of renewable energy in the country, media reports said today.
"Pakistan has also enacted the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act 2016 to promote effective conservation and efficient use of energy," Minister of Climate Change Zahid Hamid said yesterday.
The minister, however, did not disclose the amount to be spent on setting up of the solar park.
Hamid led a Pakistani delegation in the recently-concluded COP22 Conference in Morocco which provided an opportunity to highlight the significant achievements made to address the impact of climate change, The Express Tribune quoted the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan.

The minister said that Pakistan's contribution to global warming was minimal as "we emit less than one per cent of the annual global greenhouse gas emissions. Yet we are ranked amongst the top 10 countries that are most vulnerable to climate change".
Pakistan faced several major risks pertaining to climate change including glacier melting, variable monsoons, recurrent floods, rise in sea levels, higher average temperatures and higher frequency of droughts, it said.

Millions of people had been affected and a colossal damage was caused on a recurring basis, he said.
"These threats pose major survival concerns for Pakistan, particularly in relation to water security, food security and energy security," Hamid said, adding these threats also had enormous adverse consequences for all socio-economic sectors, limiting the country's ability to promote sustainable growth and development.

Pakistan has launched a Rs two-billion worth of Prime Minister's Green Pakistan programme which would be implemented across the country.