Solar panels, filtration plants for ecologically-sensitive areas

WWF-Pakistan and Buksh Foundations sing agreement.

LAHORE:

The World Wide Fund for Nature Pakistan (WWF) and Buksh Foundation (BF) on Wednesday signed an MoU to provide alternative energy solutions to marginalised communities, especially those living in and around ecologically sensitive areas. The agreement aims to build and strengthen long-term collaboration between the WWF and BF.

The WWF and BF will also collaborate to develop solar water filtration plants for those communities.

The MoU was signed by WWF Director General Ali Hassan Habib and Buksh Foundation Chief Executive Officer Fiza Farhan. “We support the use of renewable natural resources and the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption,” they said.

Buksh Foundation officials stressed the need to identify ecologically sensitive areas of Pakistan and provide alternate energy to the communities there. The WWF will also partner with the BF on its Lighting a Million Lives project.

WWF Senior Programme Manager Masood Arshad, “The provision of solar panels, solar water filtration plants and other such interventions will benefit marginalised communities as they also have a stake in conservation. In return, these communities will play their part to conserve nature and protect wild animals.” This would be a win-win strategy as communities will prosper, he said.

The collaboration will also create awareness so that dependence on natural resources is reduced. This would then help conserve forests and protect endangered animals.

Lawrence College to become a Green School

The WWF last week signed an agreement with Lawrence College, Murree, to create awareness about the environment among students and employees of the college. The students and employees will also benefit from the WWF’s Green School Programme (GSP), ECO Internship Programme and Employee Engagement Programme.

WWF Director General Ali Hassan Habib and Principal Brig (retd) Mujahid Alam signed the agreement on Friday, September 20, at Lawrence College, Ghora Gali, Murree. A GSP plaque and Markhor souvenir were presented to the Brig (retd) Alam. Brig Habib was presented a shield and a book.

More than 700 students will participate under the Green School Programme. The project aims to foster a sense of responsibility regarding conservation of nature in the future generations. The project will help ensure sustainability of environmental resources by bringing about a positive change in the youth’s attitude towards conservation.

Under the agreement, the WWF will accredit Lawrence College as a Green School after it conducts environment awareness campaigns, eco-workshops, competitions and tree plantation drives for a year. Its students will be registered as green students. Faculty members are also expected to participate in the Employee Engagement Programme. Registered students and faculty members will become complementary members of the WWF.

Students from grade 5 onwards are expected to participate in the EcoInternship Programme- six days of environmental workshops in which students will be given a series of interactive activities and presentations to foster a sense of civic responsibility. Interactive discussions, a field trip to an ecologically significant site and creative challenges are part of the programme. It targets 4,000 to 5,000 students each year.

Through the partnership, students and faculty members will be become official ambassadors of the WWF.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26^th, 2013.