Lahore : September 11, 2025 Via Daily News Man
Pakistan is one of the top 10 most methane emitting countries, said Dr. Sanaullah, professor Sanaullah of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad. He outlined the need for adopting mitigation methods to reduce carbon emission in rice production as well as enteric fermentation emission reduction in the livestock.
The above deliberations were made at the Food and Beverage Consultation organized by Alternate Development Services (ADS) and Lok Sujag at a local hotel in Lahore. “Carbon and Methane Emission Assessment and Prevention in the Food and Beverage Sector” on September 11, 2025. The event brought together experts from academia, industry, media, and civil society to deliberate on the hidden climate costs of the food and beverage sector and explore pathways to decarbonization.
While sharing the corporate perspectives at the occasion, Mr. Muazzam Rehman, sustainability expert, said that emission calculation is essential at the 4 levels ie national level, organizational level, project level and product level. He suggested a practical framework of implementation starting with emissions audits, followed by target-setting, introducing renewable energy solutions, and measuring progress through transparent sustainability reporting. Complying with the Paris Climate Agreement, IPCC and GHG protocol is need of the hours, if Pakistan is committed to meet it Net Zero Target by 2050.
Prof. Dr. Sana Ullah from the Institute of Soil & Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, discussed sustainable agricultural practices such as precision farming, renewable energy use in processing, and waste-to-energy models. He emphasized that Pakistan’s food industry has untapped potential to reduce emissions through investment in cleaner production technologies and carbon-efficient farming systems.
Dr. Muhammad Farhan, Professor of Sustainable Development (Government College, Lahore) stressed the need for transforming our grains, cereals, groceries and fruit waste in to compost serving as manure for ornamental plants and horticulture at home and the municipal areas. However, given the seasonality and variability of Pakistan’s food production, consumption and corresponding waste causes the problems of sorting out the waste. The best way out is to educate households and the restaurants to sort it out at the source end is the well established practive in the Western countries.
Mr. Asif Riaz, an investigative multimedia journalist from Lok Sujag, focused on “Policy Initiatives to Address Crop Residue Burning, Smog, and Diesel Emissions in the Agricultural Sector”. He explained how crop residue burning and inefficient diesel usage in food supply logistics remain critical emission hotspots………
Prof. Dr. M. Muhammad Farhan, Associate Professor at Government College University
explored “Barriers and Pathways in Methane Emission Reduction in the Fast Food Sector”
Mr. Amjad Nazeer, CEO of ADS highlighted systemic barriers including weak regulatory enforcement, high reliance on fossil fuels, and a lack of sector-specific emission inventories. He stressed the need for collaboration between industry and policymakers to incentivize green technologies, build climate-smart supply chains, and ensure Pakistan remains aligned with global decarbonization commitments.
The consultation concluded with an open floor discussion, where participants actively engaged in proposing strategies for building a nationwide campaign to decarbonize the food and beverage sector. The partiipants also stressed to encorporate food and agro-food corporates’ emission reduction targets in the ongoing NDC 3.0, report shortly to be submitted to UNFCC. Ideas ranged from integrating emission assessments into business models, mobilizing youth-led advocacy, and launching a cross-sectoral alliance to advance policy reforms.
Closing remarks emphasized the shared responsibility of industry stakeholders, academia, policymakers, and civil society in mitigating climate impacts. The participants reaffirmed their commitment to promoting greener practices and moving Pakistan’s food and beverage sector towards a sustainable, low-carbon future.
