CURRENTLY, the real estate industry in Pakistan is following a set of procedures that are decreasing the impact on the environment. However, energy consumption is the number one factor when it comes to the matter of sustainable development.

The hotel industry’s energy consumption far exceeds the per capita consumption of entire Pakistan. It requires the use of cleaner technologies to have fewer carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Due to that reason, this goal would require policy interventions and international cooperation.

The owners of hotels will have to be taken on board as a necessary measure. They can play an important role in sustainable development. Increased profit from utility savings, more investment options in innovative technologies, eco-tourism and increased energy supply might even be reasons for business owners to opt for sustainable and greener technologies.

The sustainable development goals (SDGs) outlined by the United Nations have also been incorporated into the hotel industry in the developed world. Along the lines of public safety regulations, performance indicators have also been placed.

Pakistan is a country that is hard hit by environmental disasters, and, due to that reason alone, sustainable development needs to be a national priority. However, our planet’s ecosystem requires sustainable development where the population is rising exponentially.

Resource needs surely represent a challenge, and the preservation of the ecosystem is a necessity. In this effort, the hotel industry and the hospitality sector at large can play a huge role.

Waqas Asmat
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2023