Pakistan Hosts World Environment Day, Calls Rich Countries To Help Poor In 'Ecosystem Restoration'

Pakistan on Saturday observed World Environment Day 2021 with the theme 'Ecosystem Restoration' and called the rich countries to help poor nations bearing the brunt of their environmental degradation to mitigate and adapt with environmental degradation

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Jun, 2021 ) :Pakistan on Saturday observed World Environment Day 2021 with the theme 'Ecosystem Restoration' and called the rich countries to help poor nations bearing the brunt of their environmental degradation to mitigate and adapt with environmental degradation.

The country was given honour of hosting of World Environment Day (WED) 2021 in acknowledgment to its promising interventions in ecosystem restoration, mitigation to and adapting with climate change, generating green employment opportunities, shifting its energy mix to clean and renewable energy, electric vehicles policy and ban on plastic bags ban.

Telecast globally, the event featured the special messages of Chinese President Xi Jinping, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and address by Executive Director of the UN Environment Program Inger Anderson besides State Minister Zartaj Gul and SAPM Amin Aslam.

The main event was held in Jinnah Convention Centre which was chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan. Speaking on the occasion, he urged the world to fight back for ecosystem restoration during the next decade and particularly reminded the rich countries to assist the poor ones bearing the brunt of their immense carbon emissions.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said the United Nations Decade was an opportunity for the world to correct its course by fighting back the pollution, ensure clean water and reduced carbon emissions.

He seconded words of Prime Minister of United Kingdom that the future generations would have to bear the cost if they failed to protect environment.

Khan added that apart from measures introduced by Pakistan, some issues needed world's attention to reduce carbon emission leading to glacier melting posing threats to countries like Pakistan and Central Asia where rivers were fed by glaciers.

The event was attended by a large gathering of Forest Guards, parliamentarians, diplomats and Federal ministers.

Addressing the global World Environment Day 2021 celebration hosted by Pakistan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said, "Pakistan is indeed privileged to be hosting the World Environment Day this year, which not only brings global focus on to nature protection but also triggers the UN decade on 'Ecosystem Restoration'".

Amin said the world had no other option but to get off the current warpath with nature and use it as an ally to confront the global challenges of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

"The next decade is critical - as the path we take now is going to shape and define the ecological sustainability of the next century," the SAPM underscored.

Pakistan, he said was a country already treading the pathway of nature-based solutions - in its efforts to heal the fractured relationship with nature.

While highlighting the employment opportunities generated under Pakistan's various ecosystem restoration initiatives, he told that the nature initiatives implemented by Pakistan had produced 85,000 green jobs so far and would be increased by another 200,000 this year.

Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul highlighted the key ERIs implemented by the country including Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Plantation's first billion tree plantation target achieved by the country including Clean Green Pakistan movement which was a huge behavioural change movement, energy mix shift to clean energy, electric vehicle policy and ban on plastic bags ban.

She underscored the vulnerability of women due to climate change and shed light on climate-induced women migration and called the Prime Minister to initiate a policy to enhance their climate resilience.

In the federal capital, Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) carried out Caravan-e-Mahol (Float of the Environment) raising awareness on environmental issues faced by the region and its nature based solutions to protect the ecology from adverse impacts of the environmental degradation. Moreover, a two-day photographic exhibition on "Pakistan 2021 Ecosystem Restoration" on the occasion of World Environment Day concluded here at Pak-China Friendship Center that highlighted various climate-induced disasters faced by the region.

In connection to WED 2021, rallies and awareness walls were held across Gilgit Baltistan (GB) under the theme of ecosystem restoration' and focus on resetting our relation with nature.

Main programme was held at Shardu city where Raja Nasir Hussain, Minister Tourism & Environment, Vice Chancellor, Uinversity of Baltistan, Kalsoom Farman, MLA & Member Senate UoBS, Deputy Commissioner Skardu, Conservator Forest, community leaders, members of civil society & students of University of Baltistan participated in Awareness Walk to mark "World Environment Day-2021".

Awareness walk jointly organized by UoBS, District Administration, Forest Dept & various civil society organizations, started from Satpara Chowk and ended at Forest City Park Skardu.

In Lahore, the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) distributed free saplings, plants in various parks and public spots of provincial capital to mark World Environment Day.

PHA Director General Jawad Ahmed Qureshi along with other officials planted saplings at Liberty Roundabout and distributed free saplings among children, pedestrians, and others on the carts specially designed by the department.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that today, the International Environment Day was being observed all over the world and it was a matter of great pride that the global community had acknowledged Pakistan's stable environment policy and its effective role in overcoming the global environmental challenges that was why Prime Minister Imran Khan was mandated to lead the world on environmental front.

In Faisalabad, City District Government (CDG) distributed free of charge saplings among general public to mark World Environment Day.

In Rawalpindi, National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), has taken initiative to become "Zero Waste Campus," by adopting Five R strategy referring to "Reduce, Re-use, Recycle, Rot and Raising Awareness" and has pledged not to use anything, contributing to environment degradation.

In Karachi, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) observed the world environment day with an aim to commence constructive measures and awareness arranging activities for safe guarding the environment. In various other events, particularly Pakistan Navy observed the World Environment Day to highlight the significance of environment and to promote awareness amongst personnel in proactively pursuing measures focusing on the marine environment. The Dawoodi Bohra Community fed the pigeons and other birds at various points in megalopolis in connection with the World Environment Day. Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) celebrated World Environment Day in a practical way by picking up garbage from different places and urged the people not to spread garbage.

In Peshawar, Director General, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Dr Amhad Ali Khan, addressed a ceremony in connection to WED 2021 and said they have imposed ban on manufacturing of plastic bags as well as sale and purchase of polythene bags to protect environment. "It is a positive step as per Prime Minister Imran Khan's vision of clean green Pakistan," he added.

In Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), WED 2021 was celebrated in AJK with renewal pledge to bring about all required individual and collective efforts for restoration of Ecosystem to avert all related threats to the environment in this era of global climate change.

Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood on WED 2021 said Pakistan supported the global efforts to preserve nature and protect the environment for future generations. It's a collective responsibility of the comity of nations to holistically spearhead decade for restoration for generation restoration, he added.

On the occasion of World Environment Day, Parks Horticulture Authority (PHA) Rawalpindi organized a seminar and awareness walk at Allama Iqbal Park Rawalpindi aiming to keep the surroundings and environment clean.