ISLAMABAD: Minister of climate change Sherry Rehman said that Pakistan’s protected areas have suffered immensely due to catastrophic impact of climate change.

Speaking at Trail 5, where a clean-up drive was organised by her ministry to mark 75th Independence Day she said, “We lost several thousand trees to unprecedented forest fires this year. Most of them due to heatwave and dry weather.”

“As human activities reduced due to endemic, wildlife, foxes, monkeys, jackals and so on reclaimed their spaces in national park. Now, as we attempt to coexist, first rule of sharing space is to make sure you’re leaving it behind just as you found it,” she added.

She said littering of single-use plastics was becoming an issue in Margalla Hills National Park and if ingested by any wildlife it could be toxic and potentially life-threatening for them.

She reminded gathering that ministry and CITES Management Authority had imposed a ban on import of all exotic mammals. “IWMB is also recovering exotic pets and releasing them into their natural habitats. I would also urge provinces to do their bit to build climate resilience and take national goals forward on securing our future as world heats up,” she said.

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 15 2022

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