National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS): Pakistan's pathway to a sustainable and resilient future

The goal of the NSDS is 'vibrant and equitable economic growth' that delivers benefits to all, particularly the poor and the vulnerable, in a way which does not lead to undue exploitation or degradation of natural resources.

The need for the NSDS is stark since the country faces a series of significant challenges: Growth rates are currently largely coupled to resource and natural material use, leading to continued environmental degradation. This has contributed to increasing water scarcity, a significant problem given that storage capacity and water efficiency delivery is low. In the energy sector, thermal efficiency is low, distribution losses are high, and power cuts are reported to be a common frustration for domestic and business users. In addition, strategic energy reserves are low. These problems are set against a backdrop of high poverty and illiteracy rates in addition to increased impacts of natural hazards, notably the impact of disastrous flooding.
The three core programme areas addressed are:
? Economic: Sustainable trade, Cleaner Production, and Sustainable Consumption
? Environment: Natural capital and Biodiversity
? Social: Social protection, poverty alleviation and equal opportunity/human development.

The strategic goals of the programme are to:
- Promote green investment and green jobs
- Improve eco-efficiency by changing production and consumption systems
- Internalisation of environmental costs into pricing
- Develop sustainable infrastructure focusing on transport and communication
- Develop demand for sustainable consumption among consumers through awareness raising
- Account for depletion of natural resources in national accounts
- Promote efficient use of energy and water, including through improved watershed management and reforestation
- Improve biodiversity management and increase forest cover; prepare lists of endangered species
- Deliver basic services of acceptably high quality to all citizens. These would cover 10 years of schooling, healthcare, food, water, shelter and energy
- Ensure preparedness for natural and human-made calamity and emergencies through mitigation and integration of disaster contingencies in broader development strategies.