LAHORE:In a milestone step towards advancing environmental governance, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Punjab has inaugurated Centre for Knowledge Exchange and Policy Dialogue (CKE&PD), a platform designed to promote research, collaboration and policy innovation in environmental protection.
Imran Hamid Sheikh, Director General, EPA Punjab and Ms Silwat Saeed, Secretary Environment Protection & Climate Change Department, Punjab jointly unveiled the centre’s official operations. The CKE&PD has been envisioned as a transformative hub that will not only support the statutory mandates of EPA Punjab under the Punjab Environmental Protection Act, 1997(amended 2012), but also act as a think tank and knowledge exchange platform for environmental stakeholders across the province.
Speaking at the ceremony, Imran Hamid emphasised that the centre is ‘a critical step forward in embedding research driven policymaking, promoting sustainability and equipping our teams and stakeholders with the tools to address pressing environmental challenges effectively.”
Under the Act, EPA Punjab is entrusted with key responsibilities, and the newly established CKE&PD is set to streamline and enhance these functions. Among its core statutory roles, the centre will assist the DG in preparing and coordinating environmental policies, publishing the annual Punjab Environmental Report, promoting research and technological development, providing guidance and data to policymakers, and enhancing public awareness through education campaigns, workshops, and media engagement.
Moreover, the CKE&PD is tasked with encouraging the development of non-governmental, community, and village level organisations that work to prevent pollution and promote sustainable development, ensuring that environmental responsibility permeates every layer of society.
‘The centre will act as a bridge between knowledge and action, transforming research insights into effective policies and programmes,’ said Ms Silwat Saeed. It will organise national and international workshops, seminars, and policy dialogues, promoting collaboration among academics, policymakers and industry experts. ‘This is more than an administrative initiative; it reflects our strong commitment to the environment and to future generations’ added Imran Hamid.
