LAHORE - The Punjab government in collaboration with the environment department will formulate ways and means to control Carbon Dioxide emissions so that ill effects of global warming and climate change could be mitigated in the country at provincial level. It has been learnt that according to the plan the Punjab government is considering to speed up efforts to promote alternative of technologies for utilising solar energy and wind energy besides controlling lethal emissions of vehicles and industries, which rely on fossil fuel. The government will highlight the need of low carbon energy generation initiatives and set standards for Carbon Dioxide emissions in a bid to safe environment from further degradation. In addition, the government will focus on increasing plantations to fight the rise in the temperature and disturbance of environment by the climate change. The Punjab Environment Protection Department (EPD) had earlier suggested to the government to pay attention to low carbon energy generation initiatives and set standards Carbon Dioxide emissions for the stakeholders including industries and vehicles besides mitigating use of fossil fuel and burning of solid waste. The growing human activity, industrialisation and the burning of fossil fuels, coal, gas and oil, is very dangerous as it emits Carbon Dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. This carbon blankets the earth, trapping its heat, and causes global warming. EPD Director General (DG) Dr Shagufta Shahjahan talking to this scribe said though Pakistan is contributing very less in the global warming compared to the developed countries but the ill effects of climate change have started appearing in Pakistan as well. Dr Shagufta said the Punjab government was taking the reports and recommendations by the Punjab environment department positively and policy and plans were being formulated to stop the emissions of lethal gases including carbon dioxide. She said forestation, use of low carbon fuels and utilisation of alternate energy sources including solar energy are possible solution in the face of threats of climate change. She said condition in Pakistan is much better than neighboring country India regarding emission of Carbon Dioxide (CO2). Referring to a global report, Dr Shagufta said India is emitting 5.3 per cent of the global emission of Carbon Dioxide in environment while Pakistan is emitting just 0.5 per cent. China is producing 21.5 per cent carbon emissions while USA is emitting 20.2 per cent Carbon Dioxide annually. The share of UE emissions in global warming is 7.84 per cent while share of Iran is 1.6 per cent. According to the report, Pakistan is ranked 135th in the list of Carbon Dioxide emitters all over world but still it is the most vulnerable country to the adverse impacts of climate change as it depends on Himalayan glaciers for water, which may melt besides rise in temperature. In addition, the data of EPD collected during 2007 to 2009 reveals that emission of compound pollutant gases including Nitrogen Oxides, Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), Nitro Oxides (NO2), Methane Gas/ Hydro Carbons (MGHC), Respiratory Dust (PM2.5), Carbon Monoxide (CO) and other pollutants are on the rise. The EPD has asked the ministry of petroleum and gas through ministry of environment to reduce the Sulfur content in the fuel, which is basic cause of higher amount of vehicular soot and smoke on roads.