McDonald’s steps up to cope with climate change

McDonald’s Pakistan has joined hands with the Ministry of Climate Change to raise awareness of the adverse effects of climate change on Pakistan.

McDonald’s Pakistan on Thursday organised an awareness walk at the F-9 Park in Islamabad on the occasion of the 26th UN conference on climate change.

Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Hamza Shafqat, Environmental Protection Agency Director General Farzana Altaf Shah, WWF representatives, officials of various organisations and civil society members participated in the awareness walk.

Addressing the function at the end of the walk, Zartaj Gul lauded McDonald’s Pakistan for taking the initiative to cope with climate change and organising the awareness walk. She urged private sector organisations to follow the suit and take initiatives against the harmful effects of climate change.

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Zartaj Gul said that Pakistan was one of the 10 countries most affected by climate change even though the country’s share in global greenhouse gas emissions was less than 1 per cent. She said that the government has taken several various initiatives to tackle the negative effects of climate change, including the 10 billion tree tsunami project.

Participants of the awareness walk organised by McDonald’s Pakistan at F-9 Park, Islamabad. PHOTO: EXPRESS

She demanded that developed and high carbon-emitting countries of the world should take steps to contain pollution and provide assistance to developing countries.

Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqat also lauded McDonald Pakistan stating that its efforts reflected the corporate social responsibility and the leadership role towards climate control. He said that all these measures were aimed at overcoming the negative effects of climate change.

The Islamabad deputy commissioner apprised the gathering of the steps taken for the protection of the natural environment and rehabilitation of forests and green belt in Islamabad.

EPA Director General Farzana Altaf Shah highlighted the need to preserve Islamabad’s natural environment. “Today, we have to pledge to make Islamabad a smog-free city,” she said.

McDonald’s Pakistan Quality Assurance National Manager Amna Khalid said that climate change was a major issue for the world at present. “Climate change is the biggest problem at the moment. We need to work more effectively to address the issue of climate change,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2021.