Playing a role in making China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a success
Thar Coal Field, Sindh Province, June 7-10 2016 – Contributing to the CPEC initiative, UNEP-IEMP’s research is attempting to ensure the sustainability of the project and proactively looking at meeting the socio-economic benefits. The research focuses on ecosystem service assessment in Thar coal field covering 95.5 sqkm of area including 61 rural settlements in closer proximity, identified with potential impacts based on the extent of project dependence on ecosystem services.This preliminary assessment was aimed to determine which ecosystem services should be analyzed in an integrated way across biophysical and socio- prioritize economic disciplines to help manage project dependence on ecosystems.
Following the stakeholder consultations in the villages and data analysis of environmental and social impact studies, the status of ecosystem services based on socio-economic baseline indicators were assessed.
In the next step, valuation for the “Priority Ecosystem Service and their Trade-offs” are being carried out to provide an empirical understanding of linkages between the mining impacts and provision of ecosystem services in Thar. Going forward, this integrated approach of ecosystem service assessment and socio-economic outcomes of mining development will assess the sustainability strategy of Thar Coal project.
