Earth Day observed: Experts call for educating people on environment, climate
Lahore celebrates day by planting trees, vowing to conserve resources
PHOTO: REUTERS
LAHORE:
Education can play a pivotal role in addressing environmental problems, which are increasing day by day, said WWF-Pakistan Director-General Hammad Naqi Khan on Saturday.
Earth Day 2017 was marked in Lahore on Saturday themed around environmental and climate literacy, highlighting the vital role of education in providing solutions to challenges confronting the planet.
WWF-Pakistan in collaboration with Agility organised an Earth Day event at Ali Institute of Education (AIE) in Lahore. Around 70 employees of both organisations planted trees within the premises.
“With quality education, we can inspire action towards environmental protection and sensitise people to adapt green technologies,” he said in a statement issued for the day.
Hammad was of the view that people should switch to alternative energy, discontinue use of plastic bags, conserve freshwater bodies and make effective and wise use of natural resources. “In the past couple of years, humans have been breaking the wrong kind of record – the rising temperature record.”
Each passing year has been declared the hottest year compared to the previous one. “It is time to take environmental and climate issues seriously and mobilise people to develop public momentum to mitigate greenhouse emissions, increase tree cover, reduce pollution and protect endangered species,” he stressed.
Another event, in partnership with Teradata, was organised at the Changa Manga forest.
The participants planted saplings and showed commitment to protect earth through increasing tree cover in Lahore. They pledged to plant more trees at their homes and neighbourhoods, encourage a paperless environment, use energy efficient appliances and adapt recycling for sustainable use of resources.
The Access to Climate Justice Committee (ACJC) also celebrated Earth Day at the Lahore High Court auditorium.
ACJC Chairperson Asif Ali Sayal said the government remained politically negligent on tackling climate change. “Even though a climate change law has been passed, it was done without taking environmental experts on board,” he lamented.
“Environmental protection should not be taken as an action but as an attitude since there is a need to involve communities through government institutions at all levels,” Asif said. “We should formulate a law, which requires every person to participate in or contribute towards environmental friendly activities.”
Published in The Express Tribune, April 23rd, 2017.
Education can play a pivotal role in addressing environmental problems, which are increasing day by day, said WWF-Pakistan Director-General Hammad Naqi Khan on Saturday.
Earth Day 2017 was marked in Lahore on Saturday themed around environmental and climate literacy, highlighting the vital role of education in providing solutions to challenges confronting the planet.
WWF-Pakistan in collaboration with Agility organised an Earth Day event at Ali Institute of Education (AIE) in Lahore. Around 70 employees of both organisations planted trees within the premises.
“With quality education, we can inspire action towards environmental protection and sensitise people to adapt green technologies,” he said in a statement issued for the day.
Hammad was of the view that people should switch to alternative energy, discontinue use of plastic bags, conserve freshwater bodies and make effective and wise use of natural resources. “In the past couple of years, humans have been breaking the wrong kind of record – the rising temperature record.”
Each passing year has been declared the hottest year compared to the previous one. “It is time to take environmental and climate issues seriously and mobilise people to develop public momentum to mitigate greenhouse emissions, increase tree cover, reduce pollution and protect endangered species,” he stressed.
Another event, in partnership with Teradata, was organised at the Changa Manga forest.
The participants planted saplings and showed commitment to protect earth through increasing tree cover in Lahore. They pledged to plant more trees at their homes and neighbourhoods, encourage a paperless environment, use energy efficient appliances and adapt recycling for sustainable use of resources.
The Access to Climate Justice Committee (ACJC) also celebrated Earth Day at the Lahore High Court auditorium.
ACJC Chairperson Asif Ali Sayal said the government remained politically negligent on tackling climate change. “Even though a climate change law has been passed, it was done without taking environmental experts on board,” he lamented.
“Environmental protection should not be taken as an action but as an attitude since there is a need to involve communities through government institutions at all levels,” Asif said. “We should formulate a law, which requires every person to participate in or contribute towards environmental friendly activities.”
Published in The Express Tribune, April 23rd, 2017.