Pakistan is one of the central countries in China's grand Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) where the latter is investing over US$ 46 billion in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC): an aggregate of projects aimed at building energy and communication infrastructure and developing industrial zones. Of this, $34 billion has been allocated for projects in the energy sector comprising coal, hydro, wind, and solar. Like CPEC projects in other sectors such as transport infrastructure and industrialization, the Pakistani government is very optimistic about projects in the energy sector. It is expected that CPEC Benergy projects will serve as a backbone of the energy strategy to overcome power crisis in Pakistan(Government of Pakistan 2014, p. 61). Another important feature of energy projects under the CPEC, as envisioned by the Government, is Bto improve the energy mix with a larger share of coal, hydel and renewable energy sources^(Government of Pakistan 2014, p. 70). According to policy documents, the country has Ban enormous amount of untapped coal reserves (around 186 billion tons)^(Government of Pakistan 2014, p. 61) and the government aims to increase domestic coal production from 4.5 to 60 million tons annually. Thus, to reduce its reliance on imported fuel, the government is looking to explore cheap indigenous sources of energy, particularly coal. International observers and commentators also assert that CPEC would enable Pakistan to get rid of the energy shortfall. According to Kugelman (2017, p. 16), CPEC Bcould conceivably zero out the country's energy shortfall, which ranges from 5,000 to 7,000 megawatts (MW)^. The author states that Bimported petroleum products account for a whopping 90% of
The year 2015 marked the deadline for finishing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as the United Nations (UN) member states launched the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN 2030 Agenda encompassing 17 goals and 169 targets aims at eradicating global poverty, combating inequalities and utilizing natural resources in a sustainable manner so that “no one is left behind.” All stakeholders have committed to proceeding with the incomplete agenda of the MDGs and achieve the SDGs by 2030. Also in 2015, China initiated the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a collection of projects to develop energy, industry and communication infrastructure costing US$46 billion as a key part of the “Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).” This paper examines different components of the CPEC and explores the extensive convergence between the main goals envisioned under the CPEC and the universally accepted SDGs. It posits that if successfully implemented, the CPEC will contribute to achievement of various SDGs in Pakistan. While it is expected that the CPEC will enable the country to move forward on a number of SDGs, three goals are particularly relevant to the construction of the CPEC. The paper argues that there is immense potential for convergence, commonality, and division of labor for a host of bilateral and multilateral actors to enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development (SDG17), resolve political differences, participate in the CPEC, and contribute to the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda even beyond Pakistan in the broader South Asian region.
BackgroundThis study contributes to the current ethnomedicinal knowledge of the Swat Valley, Pakistan. District Swat possesses remarkable biodiversity owing to its varied topographical and climatic conditions, prompting a distinct human-plant association. Our hypothesis is that the presence of such a great biodiversity has shaped into a formal ethnobotanical culture in the area transmitted through generations. We suspect that the versatility of some plant species has greater influence on the culture. Therefore, the prime objective of the study is to understand this unique human-plant relationship in the valley and to create scientific roots for the selection and practice of herbs in the ethnobotanical domain of the district.MethodsPrimary data were collected using questionnaires and face-to-face interviews with the locals. The data collected were used for calculating some important indices, i.e. relative frequency of citation (RFC), participant agreement ratio (PAR), frequency of citation (FC), Smith’s Salience Index (SI), Relative Importance Index (RII), Cultural Value Index (CVI) and a newly proposed, Ali’s Conservation Priority Index (CPI). Index scores were used as key identifier of the ethnobotanically important plants of the area.ResultsResidents of the Swat Valley have listed plant uses in 15 use categories. Around 9% of the respondents have a common consensus on the selection and use of plants for the treatment of evil eye with similar results for body cuts (8.2%) followed by psychological/neural ailments (8.0%). Respondents agree that Berberis lyceum Royle. dominates in all five indices. Skimmia laureola Franch. also constitutes one of the central plants of the ethnobotanical domain, ranking second in the SI, fifth in the RII, seventh in CVI, and third in the Cultural Importance Index. It holds the thirty-fifth position in the CPI. Over 80% of the population treat different diseases with herbal remedies. In the common ethnobotanical domain of the area, plants like Mentha longifolia L., Berberis lyceum, and Skimmia laureola are very important and have high salience and importance values, thus suggesting these plants are versatile for their uses in the study area.ConclusionIn conclusion, only some plant species are prioritised for their use in the ethnobotanical domain of the community. Medicinal and aromatic plant (MAP) usage is widespread in the Swat Valley. The ethnobotanical knowledge could be used as a tool to understand the adaptability of a specific taxon in the area and the possible conservation risk to their existence.
The fungal counts per gram of air-dried dates, of eight local date-palm varieties, varied markedly on different synthetic media. Seri and Shakra varieties had highest fungal counts whereas Medina had the lowest. Aspergilus flavus, A. niger, Penicillium rubrum, P. oxalicum, Rhizopus stolonifer, Stemphylium verruculosum and Fusarium sp. were generally associated with various date varieties. Apparent colonization of the fungi was obtained by increasing the relative humidity to 90% at 30 and 40°C. Best growth of the isolated fungi in artificial media was obtained at 60% glucose concentration.
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