The impact of climate change is wreaking havoc upon the world causing flash floods, tsunamis, freak weather conditions destroying the already fragile ecosystem. It is therefore imperative that we all play out part to prevent it.
This was the gist of a protest by young environmentalists who assembled at the National Press Club on Friday and called on the government to ensure climate justice.
The protesters, comprising mostly university and college students, voiced their support in solidarity with similar protests all over the world to mark Global Climate Action Day. They demanded of governments and mega-corporations of the world, causing environmental degradation, to play their role in conserving depleting nature and ensure that an eco-friendly safe and livable planet is passed on to posterity
The protesters chanted slogans 'We want freedom from coal', 'We want Climate Justice' and also sloganeered 'Justice for labourers, farmers, women and children', saying all were equally affected and vulnerable due to climate change.
Displaying placards inscribed with slogans 'System Change Not Climate Change', 'Let's be part of the solution, not pollution', the protesters also enacted a scene by laying down on the ground symbolising the effects of a dying planet demanding climate justice.
Speaking to the media, Dania, a schoolgirl and climate activist, said climate change was killing masses in the form of various natural disasters and also air pollution. "We need to enhance our forest cover and eradicate the use of fuel-based cars emitting massive dark smoke resulting in air pollution and climate depletion," she added
Shanzay Ahmed, another young climate activist, urged the government to ensure more steps to preserve nature and help develop the resilience of marginalised communities bearing the environmental degradation.
Protesters also placed ice blocks to highlight the rapidly melting glaciers in order to show that the snow in the north was melting enormously due to global warming leading to glacial lake outburst flooding and damage to the local communities.
Similar protests were held in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Mardan and Gilgit that unanimously demanded of the local and global governments, multinationals, corporate sector to invest more in environmental conservation and climate action.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2021.
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