Recovering from the pandemic: South Asian economies need greater self-sufficiency

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on the global economy. Ghamz E Ali Siyal argues that the large populations and fragile economies of South Asia warrant particular measures for recovery, including the unfashionable path of autarky, increasing investments in digital competencies and serious debt-relief measures

Analysing the reality of climate-induced migration in Pakistan's semi-arid regions

All the countries in South Asia are already confronting the realities of climate change. In this article Ghamz E Ali Siyal draws on field studies conducted by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute to demonstrate how climate change is driving migration in the semi-arid regions of Pakistan

Immunisation programmes in Sindh and Balochistan desperately need a shot in the arm

Pakistan has a high infant mortality rate, which is linked to low levels of immunisation. There is an urgent need for coordination among institutes for reducing demand and supply gaps in enhancing immunisation coverage nationally write Ghamz E Ali Siyal and Shahbaz Tufail

Analysis of Infrastructure Investment and Institutional Quality on Living Standards: A Case Study of Pakistan (1990-2013)

In this study, the relationship of Infrastructure Investment and Institutional Quality (CIM) on Living Standards of people was analysed for Pakistan. This paper comprises of trend analysis of institutional quality for different periods of governments of Pakistan coupled with an empirical analysis of the model. The empirical estimates are comprised of unit root test, Johansen Cointegration, VAR analysis and Granger Causality tests for the sample of 1984– 2013. The trend analysis depicts fluctuations of Institutional Quality in different governments due to different political conditions of every period. The empirical analysis shows that there exists long standing relationship between the Institutional Quality, Infrastructure Investment and living standards of people. However, the VAR analysis shows that the coefficients of only Institutional Quality and Living Standards of People (previous year i.e. lag variables) resulted significance in affecting living standards of the people. The Granger causality result shows bidirectional and uni-directional relationships among variables. The results in our study indicate bi-directional relationships of Living Standards of People (GDPC) with Institutional Quality (CIM). Secondly, CIM and Infrastructure Investment (Developmental Expenditure) are having uni-directional relationship. Thirdly, Population and Institutional Quality (Contract Intensive Money) are having uni-directional relationship. Fourthly, GDPC and Infrastructure Investment carry a uni-directional relationship. JEL Classification: E02, F41, H53, O1, O4, P23. Keywords: Institutional Quality (Contract Intensive Money (CIM), Infrastructure Investment (Developmental Expenditure), Trade Openness, GDP per Capita, and Population

Tracing the impact of El Nino on agriculture and life in Mirpur Khas

Drought, flood and decrease in average rainfall are severely impacting Mirpur Khas in Sindh province. This has resulted in several challenges in the agricultural sector. Ghamz E Ali Siyal, Mohsin Ali Kazmi and Benazir Khumbhar trace the impacts of El Nino in the district

What defines livelihood vulnerability in rural semi‑arid areas? : evidence from Pakistan

In view of the enhanced vulnerability of semi-arid regions to climate change (IPCC AR5 Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change) this paper attempts to identify the key determinants of vulnerability in three semi-arid districts of Pakistan using an indicator-based approach. Semi-arid lands in Pakistan predominantly feature irrigated agriculture. Results of IPCC–LVI show varying levels of vulnerability experienced by farmers in the three study sites. This paper uses the IPCC-Livelihood Vulnerability Index for developing site-specific vulnerability scores that portray the unique aspects that determine districts’ vulnerability to climate change such as water supply, access to information, rural poverty, health, education and genderUK's Department for International Development (DFID

Equity preferences and abatement cost sharing in international environmental agreements

This paper examines empirically the importance of equity preferences for the formation of international environmental agreements (IEA) for transboundary pollution control. Although it has been shown theoretically that the existence of equity preferences among countries considering an IEA increases the chances for formation and stability of a coalition, empirical assessments of such preferences have been limited to climate change mitigation and single-country studies. We consider the case of marine plastic pollution, of which a large share consists of food and beverage containers, representing a transboundary pollution control problem of increasing policy concern, with properties that lead to distinct considerations for equity and the sharing of abatement costs. We employ a coordinated choice experiment in the United Kingdom and United States to assess preferences for abatement-cost allocations in a marine plastics IEA. Pairs of cooperating countries and the relative allocation of abatement costs are varied experimentally. Results show systematic aversion to both advantageous and disadvantageous inequality with respect to abatement costs but also that the relative strength of advantageous and disadvantageous inequality aversion differs across countries. Across both countries, there is evidence that left-leaning voters generally favor more equal international sharing of abatement costs. Differences of these results from the case of greenhouse gas emission reduction, and implications for current efforts to establish a legally binding global treaty on marine plastic pollution, are discussed. © 2023 The Authors. American Journal of Agricultural Economics published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Agricultural & Applied Economic

Turn on the Lights: Macroeconomic Factors Affecting Renewable in Pakistan

The objective of the study is to examine the relationship between macroeconomic factors (i.e., population growth; urbanization, industrialization, exchange rate, price level, food production index and live stock production index) and renewable energy in Pakistan over a period of 1975-2012. In addition, this study uses oil rent as an intervening variable to overcome the biasness of the single equation model. The results indicate that macroeconomic factors positively contributed to renewable energy consumption in Pakistan. The causality test indicate that there is a unidirectional causality running towards macroeconomic factors to renewable energy in Pakistan, however, renewable energy Granger cause oil rent but not via other route. In addition, there is bidirectional causality between exchange rate and live stock production in Pakistan. Variance decomposition analysis shows that economic growth has a major contribution to increase renewable energy in Pakistan

Turn on the Lights: Macroeconomic Factors Affecting Renewable in Pakistan

The objective of the study is to examine the relationship between macroeconomic factors (i.e., population growth; urbanization, industrialization, exchange rate, price level, food production index and live stock production index) and renewable energy in Pakistan over a period of 1975-2012. In addition, this study uses oil rent as an intervening variable to overcome the biasness of the single equation model. The results indicate that macroeconomic factors positively contributed to renewable energy consumption in Pakistan. The causality test indicate that there is a unidirectional causality running towards macroeconomic factors to renewable energy in Pakistan, however, renewable energy Granger cause oil rent but not via other route. In addition, there is bidirectional causality between exchange rate and live stock production in Pakistan. Variance decomposition analysis shows that economic growth has a major contribution to increase renewable energy in Pakistan

Rural livelihood vulnerability in semi-arid Pakistan : scope of migration as an adaptation strategy

Results of the country study show that D. G. Khan is the district most vulnerable to climate change impacts, followed by Mardan, with Faisalabad the least vulnerable of the three districts. Migration is a common adaptation response to climate impacts, yet it varies from one region to another. A lack of adaptive capacity plays an important role in determining the overall vulnerability of households. Based on findings of the study, recommendations aim at improving resilience of the agricultural sector due to climate change impacts, facilitating diversification of rural livelihoods through rural development, and creating policy that includes planned rural outmigration.UK Government’s Department for International Development (DfID)International Development Research Centre (IDRC