GEB project, funded by the UNDP/ Global Environment Facility (GEF), is being implemented by the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) aims to remove barriers to environmental information management and mainstream global environment concerns into the economic decision-making of Pakistan. As per the AWP-2019, a lecture was organized by PMU, GEB project with the title of “Environmental Information & Management: Addressing key Issues & Way Forward for Pakistan” on March 26, 2019 at Forestry, Environment & Wildlife Department, Peshawar. The objective of the visit was to ‘educate media/selected representatives regarding the integration of environment and development and thus enhance their commitment and capacity for the role of media in ensuring environmental sustainability’.

The purpose of the session was mainly to help contextualize the key stakeholders in the focus of the project. Therefore, the following approach was adopted: (a) Selection of the representation of the stakeholders, (b) Highlighting that the change is realized through efforts of critical mass of individuals who understand the purpose and are committed. The environment and associated issues were presented in the context of the UN conventions for which GEF serves as financial mechanism. In caparison to global practices of environmental information and management, the expected output of the lecture was to increase understanding and importance of environmental information and management by: the foreword of concept allied to environmental information and management; Global examples of environmental information and management; The apt way forward for Environmental Information & Management System (EIMS) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province.

It was agreed among the participants that arranging lectures such as this one are important to increase environmental understanding of the concerned stakeholders/participants as they have a vital role to play in raising environmental awareness as well as forming public views and perceptions on development projects. Participants of the subject visit appreciated the activity and efforts of GEB team and wished that it might continue in future through different forums so that they are capacitated with the right information on environment.