Environment

Critics from environmental organisations and civil society have described the current legal interpretation as a “simplification that fails to respect the Aravallis’ complex ecology”, warning that it could gradually weaken the shield that the mountain system provides against desertification, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss.

Experts argue that meeting Nepal’s 2045 net-zero target and Sustainable Development Goal 7 – affordable and clean energy for all – will require a fundamental rethink of biogas policy.

Long-term climate risk, particularly heat exposure, also carries socio-economic consequences, threatening jobs, livelihoods and economic growth if unchecked.

Experts argue that building resilience requires integrated approaches that blend disaster risk reduction with ecosystem conservation.

While official forecasts have suggested potential weather shifts that could help disperse pollutants, scientists caution that air quality may remain poor in the coming days without sustained reductions in emissions.

Despite short-term improvements when winds disperse pollutants, Pakistan’s larger “smog season,” which typically lasts from October through February, has become a recurring annual crisis with economic and social costs that reverberate beyond public health into education, productivity and infrastructure planning.

The approval comes with an attractive package of incentives designed to catalyse both investment and environmental impact.

International partners and humanitarian organisations have indicated their willingness to stay engaged for the long haul. Plans are underway for coordinated rebuilding efforts, assessment of ongoing needs, and development of resilient infrastructure to withstand future disasters.