Climate change moot: Long-term policies needed to deal with natural disasters

Zartaj Gul urges public to adopt practice of water conservation

ISLAMABAD: Climate Change Junior Minister Zartaj Gul on Thursday called for long-term policies to minimise effects of natural disasters.

Speaking at the National Conference on Climate Change, organised by department of Earth and Environmental Sciences Bahria University Islamabad, she said all academic institutions of Pakistan must join hands to make Pakistan a progressive country. She also asked students to play their due role in saving planet earth.



Gul said through increased involvement from academia and experts we can achieve more in the fights against climate change. "Water shortage is causing drought in Sindh and Balochistan and its outcome is a precedent before us," she said.

Gul went on to add: "We need to regulate water usage and also adopt cleanliness strategies to increase clean water consumption." She said as the country was facing natural disasters for several years and acknowledged the commitment of Prime Minister Imran Khan, who understands these issues and was already working on it.

She admired the efforts of Pakistanis, saying this was the one nation where people were always ready to help each other out in any case of natural disaster, whether it was a flood or an earthquake. "People now understand the gravity of climate change issues in the country. Previously this matter was not taken into consideration by former regimes,” she said.

The present government was committed to bringing change in the behaviour of people through communication in their native languages to address environmental issues. She urged the international community to address these issues on a priority basis as global warming is not the problem of any individual country.



She added that Pakistan is not in one of those countries that make big contributions to emissions but are still affected badly as a result of emissions by other countries.

She said those criticising the billion tree tsunami project are now acknowledging the benefits of this drive. Bahria University Islamabad Campus director general, faculty members and head of departments from different universities also participated in the event.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2018.