ISLAMABAD
President Dr Arif Alvi has emphasised the need for adopting sustainable consumption practices to deal with the climate change.
Expressing his views while offering his greetings to all the people across the world on the World Environment Day, the President stressed upon protecting natural water resources, ensuring fertile soil and developeng partnerships with all concerned authorities.
The 2022 World Environment Day campaign ‘#OnlyOneEarth’ calls for?collective, transformative action on a global scale to celebrate, protect and restore the planet Earth.
The president said that Pakistan was among the worst-hit countries in terms of climate change due to fast melting glaciers, unpredictable rain patterns, dry spells and drying up of our water sources which posed serious challenges to the government and to the people of Pakistan.
Highlighting the need for environment-friendly practices, he said that it was achievable by educating our youth about dealing with this challenge and adapting the methods of the green environment today for a better future.
“I am proud to state that in Pakistan our Presidency is world’s first in becoming ISO certified green, energy-efficient Presidency. With our 1MW solar power project, we not only cater to our power needs to zero net billing but also contribute to national grid”, he said
He also invited all the institutions to learn from the Green Presidency Initiative and save energy so as to serve the public in an effective manner.
The president further regretted that Pakistan’s forests, biodiversity and wildlife resources had suffered from the adverse effects of climate change, change of land use, and habitat destruction due to population increase.
He urged the need to make continuous efforts through a number of initiatives under long-term planning and programmes to deal with the challenge of climate change. “Existing meager forest resources are crucial to environmental stability and needed serious interventions to improve and enhance the overall forestry, wildlife and biodiversity sectors”, he said.
The president noted that the United Nations’ World Environment Day (WED) was dedicated to focusing attention and taking positive action on issues related to the environment. “This year’s theme is meant to encourage people around the world to think about their connection to nature—including food and agriculture”, he added.
He said that a healthy environment played a key role in meeting many of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. “With 8 years left to meet the target date of 2030, the world will need to pick up the pace and put greater efforts in finding better solutions to pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss in order to truly transform societies and economies”, he emphasized.
