- Sindh was allocated Rs48.8bn for climate-related initiatives.
- Province only spent Rs20bn or 41% out of the total budget.
- Report criticises Sindh govt for its lack of commitment.
KARACHI: The province of Sindh in the past 16 years has been allocated a staggering Rs48.8 billion for climate-related initiatives, however, it has only spent less than half of the total budget.
This was revealed in a climate budget report by a private organisation. It analysed the performance of various climate-related departments, painting a grim picture of the government’s priorities.
According to the report, Sindh, over the past 16 years — from 2007 to 2023-24 — only managed to spend Rs20 billion or 41% out of the total climate budget.
In a subsequent panel discussion, Forest Department’s chief conservator highlighted that the allocations made to various climate-related departments are already meager, saying that this is a matter of grave concern.
Renowned consultant Shahid Lutfi emphasised that financial performance alone cannot serve as the sole yardstick for assessing a department’s technical performance. He pointed out that those responsible for allocating funds often lack direct involvement in technical matters.
According to the Climate Budget Report, the Directorate of Climate Change (DoCC), a recently established entity, received Rs40 million in annual allocation out of block allocation of Rs90 million but has yet to report any expenditures, resulting in a performance status of 0%.
The report criticised the Sindh government for its lack of commitment to fully utilising allocated budgets and its apparent disregard for the performance of climate and environment sectors.
“The establishment of new departments like the Directorate of Climate Change is seen as a cosmetic activity to pacify public concerns about climate change, as evidenced by its immediate failure to utilise funds,” said key researcher Sadia Siddiqi while elaborating the report.
The Sindh Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) fared no better, with an allocation of Rs3.419 billion over the 16-year period, but only spending Rs336.56 million, a mere 10% of the allocated funds.
The Sindh Coastal Development Authority, despite sporadic allocations, managed to spend Rs4.421 billion out of the Rs10.069 billion allocated, achieving a performance rate of just 43.91%.
On a slightly more positive note, the Sindh Forest Department demonstrated significant activity, spending Rs9.894 billion (77%) of its Rs12.789 billion allocation. The Sindh Wildlife Department, with an allocation of Rs1.816 billion, utilised Rs766.126 million, translating to a 42% performance rate.
However, the Sindh Alternative Energy Department, despite an allocation of Rs173 million in 2013-14, has not reported any expenditures, resulting in a performance status of 0%.
The Sindh Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), receiving the largest share of allocations at Rs20.5 billion, has spent only Rs4.78189 billion, a mere 23.33% of the allocated funds.
It may be mentioned here that Pakistan’s devastating floods in 2023 highlight the need for climate budgeting, a financial strategy that integrates climate considerations into government spending.
The floods, attributed to extreme monsoon rains, resulted in at least 1,500 deaths and substantial economic losses. Sindh, the worst hit region, redirected a significant portion of its budget towards flood relief and recovery efforts.
The report further said that the Sindh Environment Department has not had a coherent strategy for environmental protection or climate change adaptation.
Promising schemes like “Feasibility Study and Remedial Measures for Restoration of Lakes” and “Study on impacts of Climate Change in Sindh” were initiated but never completed.
Moreover, climate-related departments have experienced fluctuations in funding over the years, leading to inconsistent spending patterns. For example, the Sindh Coastal Development Authority has seen significant variations in allocations, with the highest allocation in 2012-13 but low spending overall.
On the contrary, the Sindh government has prioritised other infrastructure projects over climate change initiatives. For instance, the cost of the Malir Expressway project exceeds the total climate budget expenditure over 16 years.
The PDMA has struggled to utilise allocated funds due to a lack of human resources and planning capacity. Report referred the NFC award and said that the PDMA’s spending patterns are influenced by unrealistic budget projections based on anticipated federal funding.
It also noted that the Sindh government has missed opportunities to address critical environmental issues like water body restoration, wetland conservation, and the impact of extreme weather events. Even a seemingly crucial project for air quality improvement is lingering on in its second year of budgeting.
The newly established DoCC lacks clear goals and functionalities, making its effectiveness uncertain. There have been instances of embezzlement detected in some schemes, which could be contributing to the low spending on climate-related initiatives.
In a nutshell, Climate Budget Report reflects Sindh government’s lack of commitment to fully utilising allocated budgets and its apparent disregard for the performance of climate and environment sectors.
“The establishment of new departments like the Directorate of Climate Change is seen as an eyewash to muster climate financing and simultaneously to pacify public concerns about climate change, as evidenced by its immediate failure to utilize funds”, said key researcher Oonib Azam while highlighting the technical performance of the climate related departments.
The report concludes that the dismal count of the report raises serious concerns about the province’s long-term commitment to addressing climate change risks. It calls for a more strategic approach to climate action, including improved budgeting, capacity building, and preparedness measures for disaster management.
