Impact of CPEC on Climate Change – Policy Recommendations

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an ongoing mega development project which aims to connect Gwadar port of Pakistan to China’s northwestern region of Xinjiang via a network of highways, railways and pipelines. The economic corridor is considered central to China-Pakistan relations and is stretched over 2700 km from Gwadar to Kashghar. Overall, the entire project is expected to be completed in fifteen years through three different phases, i.e. from 2015-2020, 2020-2025 and 2025-2030,respectively.CPEC and its connectivity with Central Asia, Middle East and Africa is expected to reshape the entire region. The Corridor is an extension of China’s proposed 21st century Silk Road Initiative or Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The corridor is expected to be a strategic game changer for the region that aims to make Pakistan an economically viable and business-friendly country. Investments under CPEC in the power generation and distribution sectors will provide a momentous boost to the economy. Several large-scale investments in infrastructure, energy and industrial growth projects are currently in-progress, which are expected to further fasten the targeted economic growth of the country.