Indicators of climate change at the global level require that serious efforts be made to protect the planet and that countries around the world individually and collectively ensure environment-friendly measures.

Amnesty International has made it clear in the report released on this occasion that despite the very small role of the Pakistani people in climate change, this country has to face serious consequences.

Amnesty International has highlighted the need for global attention to deal with the growing climate crisis and urged rich countries to make no mistake about their important role.

The theme of the World Environment Day celebrated on June 5 this year was “Pollution caused by plastic”, regarding which seminars were organized by various organizations. In particular, the Pak Navy organized an awareness walk at Manora Beach and made it clear that several important initiatives including solid waste collection, setting up of redbed sewage plant in areas under the Navy’s jurisdiction and mangrove plantation drive have been initiated. Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi NI(M) S Bt , Chief of Pakistan Navy, in his message on this occasion, reiterated his determination to make every possible effort to improve the quality of the environment.  He urged the industrial community to adopt an integrated strategy to tackle plastic pollution. Other messages, speeches and statements are also aimed at attracting the public and other constituencies, especially manufacturers, towards gradual efforts to abandon plastic. The need of the hour is that on the one hand, cooperation in environment-friendly initiatives at the global level should be increased, on the other hand, Pakistan should make such a comprehensive national policy for itself, through which it will help to eliminate environmental pollution and reduce the effects of global warming. As a matter of fact, environment improvement efforts are being getting due attention in recent months.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of World Environment Day celebrated around the world this week, a tree- plantation ceremony was organized at KPT Sports Complex in collaboration with POA Environment Commission and Karachi Port Trust, in which several dignitaries and other guests planted saplings along with special children.

The speakers highlighted the environmental issues. Renowned TV artiste Sarwat Gilani said that increasing environmental pollution is gradually strengthening its grip on our environment. If special attention is not paid to the protection of the city, the harmful effects of pollution will increase in the near future.  Sarwat Gilani praised the efforts of POA Environment Commission for the elimination of environmental pollution and appealed to the public to do more to achieve a happy and healthy society free from density.

Sarwat Gilani  said that the mood and environment of the people can be changed by plantation and a campaign should be conducted at all levels for a clean and green city, especially among children and youth. Acknowledging the efforts of Tehmina Asif, she also appealed to the people to fulfill their national responsibility by planting more greenery and trees for the ensuring of a density-free, happy and healthy society and to play their role in the plantation and cultivation of plants. On the other hand, Tehmina Asif informed that 55% of the waste collected in our country on a daily basis includes plastic, which is mostly burned and the smoke that rises is very dangerous for human life.  One would agree with Tehmina Asif further, who said that marine pollution  is also very harmful to our aquatic and marine life and also economy because the employment of millions of fishermen is related to it.

We have to protect our sea as well as the land. It is necessary to play our full individual and collective role to protect our water resources and eliminate marine pollution. And last but not the least, Major (retd) Mehmood Riaz said that KPT is taking great measures to reduce environmental pollution. There should also be a collective effort and it is the duty of every citizen to be responsible for pollution by any of his actions, he said. Along with talking about the problems, there should also be individual and collective efforts to solve them. And it is the duty of every citizen to be responsible for  his actions which cause pollution.

One would appreciate the latest efforts by individuals and institutions to pay heed to the environmental issues.

According to the Long-term Global Climate Risk Index 2020, Pakistan is the fifth most affected place on earth owing to hostile impacts of climate change.

A recent report by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) last year, has gone to the extent of terming climate change as existential threat to Pakistan.

There is no denying the fact that Pakistan has been facing the climate change affects which evident from the adverse weather pattern in recent years. The last year’s biblical floods and the earlier 2010 floods,  followed by heat waves in Karachi, smog in Lahore that killed thousands and  torrential rains with cloud bursts as seen in Karachi and in Islamabad in recent years; increasingly low rainfalls in winters as seen in January and then abnormal rains in July and August  last year are some of the manifestations of the climate change. So, in the wake of so much devastation by climate change, it is strongly hoped that the the Loss and Damage Fund will deliver as it will bring the world nations together to jointly fight out the dangers and effects of climate change in the 134 countries which are termed to be the most vulnerable to climate impacts.

According to our Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman, the climate devastations have become a matter of national security.

In fact, the countries which are contributing to the world’s pollutions that are resulting in Global warming which is an existential threat to the country must think over what they are doing to the humankind with their inept policies to not control the pollution level caused by them.

Our country is surrounded by high mountains in the south where the over 7200 glaciers melting due to Global warming and water from these mountains together with abnormal rains floods the rivers and cause flash flooding which leash a reign of total destruction upon the entire populations as evident from Chitral to KP, Sindh and Balochistan.

Published in The Daily National Courier, June, 09 2023

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