BEIJING: The Pakistan-China Institute (PCI), in collaboration with Tsinghua University’s School of Environment, on Monday held a Pakistan-China Green Development Dialogue during Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s visit to China. The session focused on developing Green Special Economic Zones (SEZs) under CPEC.
During the event, PCI launched a policy paper titled “From Policy to Practice: Operationalizing Green Special Economic Zones under CPEC via China’s Eco-Industrial Parks Lessons”, authored by Mustafa Hyder Sayed, Muhammad Umar Farooq, and Professor Tian Jinping.
The paper draws on China’s eco-industrial park (EIP) experience, highlighting the importance of standards, shared infrastructure, financing models, and data-based management.
The dialogue gathered policymakers, researchers, and industry experts to set out a practical roadmap for Green SEZs in Pakistan. In his remarks, Professor Tian Jinping said China’s EIPs succeeded through shared utilities, resource recovery systems, and transparent monitoring, and stressed that Pakistan should “pilot, measure, and scale” SEZs. PCI Executive Director Mustafa Hyder Sayed noted that success would depend on bankable utilities, SME participation, and coordination across ministries, with pilot projects planned for 2025.
Minister of State for Climate Change Dr. Shezra Mansab Ali Kharal said the green transition aimed to create a competitive industry that uses fewer resources, reduces pollution, and generates jobs, stressing alignment between federal and provincial policies.
Other speakers, including Dr. Erfa Iqbal (Board of Investment), XU Tianqi (Renmin University), and Professor Bi Kejia (Xi’an International Studies University), outlined financing and operational models such as green credit lines, pooled procurement of sensors, blended capital for shared utilities, and KPI-linked incentives for firms.
The dialogue concluded with an action plan to adopt EIP-based standards, blended financing, SME support through SEZ one-windows, and digital platforms for by-product and energy exchange. –Agencies
