ICCI advocates climate-resilient policies
Across the globe, more than 400 large cities with a total population of 1.5 billion are at high or extreme risk due to some mixture of life-shortening pollution, dwindling water supplies, deadly heat waves, natural disasters and climate change. PHOTO: AFP
The government should focus on climate-resilient development to ensure sustainable growth as increasing climate change risks will affect economic growth in the country and increase poverty, said acting Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Jamshaid Akhtar Sheikh.
Speaking at a seminar on the World Environment Day on Saturday, he said that the increasing risks of climate change would create multiple problems in Pakistan including food security, energy security and water security issues.
“The government should adopt a proactive approach to deal with the rising risks of climate change,” said Sheikh.
“The average forest cover in the world is up to 25%, but forest cover in Pakistan is less than 5%, which should be a cause of concern for the policymakers.”
He called on the public and private sectors as well as civil society members to plant maximum trees that would help in promoting a healthy environment in the country.
Speaking on the occasion, former ICCI president Sheikh Amir Waheed underlined that the damage to Pakistani crops in 2010 due to flash floods had caused losses of $4.5 billion.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 5th, 2022.
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