With climate change accelerating and urban air quality deteriorating, Islamabad and Rawalpindi face a critical need to cut their carbon footprint. Urban planners, environmentalists, and citizens alike agree that bold, targeted action is essential to preserve the region’s ecological balance and protect public health.
“At the heart of the problem lies transport. The unchecked growth of private vehicles, coupled with a weak public transport network, has made traffic congestion and smog routine. The introduction of the Metrobus service in 2015 was a promising start, but its limited coverage and poor connectivity to outer sectors and Rawalpindi’s suburbs hinder its effectiveness,” says Hamid Hasan.
“There’s a huge potential for low-carbon public transport if routes are expanded and feeder systems are developed. Add to that incentives for electric vehicles and bicycle-friendly infrastructure, and you start seeing tangible change,” says Dr. Fariha Ali, an environmental policy expert.
“The government has already pledged to increase electric vehicle (EV) uptake under the National Electric Vehicle Policy. However, implementation in Islamabad and Rawalpindi has been slow, with only a handful of charging stations and virtually no incentives for buyers. Local administrations must do more, including waiving registration fees, offering tax breaks, and integrating EVs into public fleets,” say experts.
“Urban sprawl and poor building standards also contribute significantly to carbon emissions. Construction booms in areas like Bahria Town and Gulberg have often ignored energy efficiency. Even simple steps like using insulation, solar panels, and rainwater harvesting can reduce a building’s carbon impact by 30 to 40%. It’s time CDA and RDA mandated green building codes,” says Sana Hussain.
“A major contributor to urban emissions is waste. Open dumping and burning of garbage in many areas -- especially in Rawalpindi’s unplanned settlements -- release harmful greenhouse gases like methane. Recycling programs remain nascent, and the waste collection system is inconsistent,” says Bint-e-Fatima. “To tackle this, environmental NGOs have proposed community-based composting and door-to-door recycling models. If we separate wet and dry waste at the household level, not only can we reduce emissions, but we can also generate jobs,” says Ali Raza, a sustainability activist in Rawalpindi.
