ISLAMABAD, Oct 31 (APP): The SPAR6C program, a 5-year technical assistance project was officially launched on Tuesday by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, in collaboration with several international organizations.
The kick-off workshop convened national stakeholders and international donor agencies, setting the stage for an ambitious initiative. The Supporting Preparedness for Article 6 Cooperation (SPAR6C) program is being implemented by a consortium of partners led by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and supported by the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre and GFA Consulting.
During the workshop, a comprehensive overview of SPAR6C’s objectives and planned activities was presented to a diverse audience, including federal and provincial officials, members of the private sector, representatives from financial institutions, and academics.
This initiative aimed to enhance Pakistan’s capacity to participate in international carbon market cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and gain access to international financial and technical support for environmental sustainability and climate resilience. The SPAR6C activities in Pakistan are led by the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre, with support from GFA Consulting.
The program supported the Government of Pakistan in developing the necessary policy and regulatory frameworks to access much-needed carbon finance through the international carbon market under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. At the national level, the project engages a wide range of stakeholders, including national and subnational governments, the private sector, academia, and youth, with the goal of creating an enabling environment for carbon trading. One key activity of SPAR6C during the initial phase has been to conduct a Readiness and Needs Assessment (RNA) through extensive consultations with key national stakeholders.
At the official kick-off workshop, the RNA is presented for validation, enabling discussions on the detailed work plan under SPAR6C. The RNA outlines the opportunities for carbon market projects in various sectors, maps existing knowledge and capacity, and identifies the key stakeholders’ needs for further support. It establishes the foundation for SPAR6C’s work and offers significant inputs for planning and implementing other voluntary carbon markets and Article 6 endeavors in Pakistan.
The assessment underscores a deep understanding of climate change intricacies and a robust potential in Pakistan for both specialized projects and wider sector initiatives. However, navigating the complexities of carbon markets, particularly under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, necessitates enhanced capacity-building efforts at the federal, provincial, and sectoral levels, a challenge shared with many other nations globally. In the short term, the SPAR6C program engages governments and the private sector in NDC implementation and ambition raising through the Article 6 carbon markets. Article 6 implementation is expected to also benefit the host countries’ sustainable development.
In Pakistan, as with the other partner countries of Colombia, Thailand, and Zambia, the program aims to facilitate the establishment of comprehensive approval criteria, streamlined processes, and robust regulatory frameworks for carbon market activities. With strong governance frameworks in place, countries can autonomously conceptualize and roll out climate initiatives using their own resources. Beyond fortifying national mitigation plans and shaping Article 6 policy frameworks, SPAR6C aims to play a pivotal role in the development of three to five flagship Article 6 pilot projects in Pakistan, while also facilitating their acquisition of the requisite financial backing for execution.
APP/fur-zah
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