‘Depletion of resources could exacerbate communal tensions’

Advisor to PM on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam says govt has taken on the agenda of Clean and Green Pakistan

Degradation of natural resources and ecosystems is leading to a loss of livelihoods and increased competition for remaining resources such as water, and that the environment is a major factor in growing internal migration and exacerbation of social and communal tensions in the cities.

The worsening threats could lead to a breakdown of governance and overwhelming the state’s capacity to manage.

This was warned by Institute of Sustainable Development former director Mark Halle while speaking at a workshop The workshop had been organised by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Pakistan on Friday to interact with stakeholders on the links between environment and security. The workshop was attended by the IUCN members, government officials and civil society representatives.

Asia Regional Director Aban Marker Kabraji said the workshop aims to elicit key inputs and views on environment security and migration situation in Pakistan. She further said that the issue of environment and security needs to be analysed in a variety of contexts, including different natural resources, different regions, as well as environmental, institutional, socioeconomic, and political circumstances.

Advisor to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam remarked that the government has taken on the agenda of ‘Clean and Green Pakistan’, which revolves around the five main environmental areas of deforestation — through the Billion Tree Tsunami project, air pollution— mitigated by the Electric Vehicle Policy, depleting water bodies — addressed through Recharge Pakistan, sanitation — through Clean Green Pakistan Index and promoting ecological practices while boosting employment — through ecotourism.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2020.