World Environment Day: ‘Time to change our habits’

WWF calls for recognition of climate change threats.

LAHORE:

“This year’s theme for World Environment Day reflects the biggest threat our planet faces,” WWF-Pakistan Biodiversity Director Uzma Khan said on Thursday.

She was talking to The Express Tribune in connection with the World Environment Day 2014. This year’s theme is “Raise our voice, not the sea level.”

Khan said Pakistan ranked third on the global ranking for countries with high risks from climate change.

“We have extreme weather conditions. Unpredictable rains have caused massive damage in Pakistan,” she said.

“We need to improve our forests as they mitigate the impact of climate change. Let’s raise our voice to highlight vulnerabilities of climate change,” said Khan.

WWF-Pakistan Communications Manager Asma Ezdi said, “World Environment Day is observed to raise awareness on the dangers our planet faces. Our consumption is increasing every day and our resources depleting. This is not sustainable in the long run.”

Ezdi said Pakistan was among the countries severely impacted by climate change even though its carbon emissions were less than US or China, the world’s biggest polluters.

She said Pakistan was losing its forests and survival of numerous species was threatened due to loss of habitat and freshwater resources.

“Small steps - reducing use of plastic bags, recycling, planting trees, and switching to renewable energy sources - will have a positive impact in the long run. It is time to change our habits. Every Pakistani must recognise their responsibility for their environment,” she said.

WWF-Pakistan Marine Fisheries Technical Adviser Muhammad Moazzam Khan said Pakistan had untapped natural resources which were threatened by environmental degradation.

Khan further said reduction in Indus River water near Kotri had adversely affected biodiversity in the Indus delta.

“Release of 450 million gallons untreated sewerage everyday into Arabian Sea is a great threat to marine life,” Khan said.

He said WWF-Pakistan had prepared a National Assessment Report with the support of International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Coordination Body on the Seas of South Asia (COBSEA) covering the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan.

He said report identified threat to coastal infrastructure and human habitation along the coast.

“Kharo Chan, Keti Bunder, Damb, Pasni and Jiwani face a grave threat of sea erosion which is aggravated by the rise in sea level,” he said.

WWF worried over reduced environmental budget

On World Environment Day on Thursday, World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan) registered strong concern over the recent reduction in the federal budget for environmental initiatives.

The 2013-14 federal budget had allocated Rs58 million for Climate Change Division, however, the amount was reduced to Rs25 million in the 2014-15 fiscal year, “which is insufficient to meet the challenging environmental issues that Pakistan faces today,” WWF-Pakistan said in a statement.

Considering that the theme of this year’s World Environment Day is Raise Your Voice, not the Sea Level, Pakistan needs to consider how sea intrusion is impacting coastal communities, destroying livelihoods and human settlements, as well as causing loss of biodiversity, WWF-Pakistan said. The recorded rise in sea level was 1.1 millimeters per annum, it said.

WWF-Pakistan Biodiversity Director Uzma Khan said that according to the Global Climate Risk Index 2014, Pakistan was the third most vulnerable country to direct and indirect impact of climate change. The budget cut would further undermine the faltering environmental projects, she said.

“Pakistan is already vulnerable to climate change. Environmental degradation is at an all-time high and social and economic losses caused due to neglecting environmental issues are on the rise. The budgetary announcement two days before World Environment Day puts a question mark on the fate of millions of Pakistanis who are already suffering due to environmental degradation,” WWF-Pakistan said.

It urged the government to revise its commitment in order to mitigate climate change and adopt a pro-environment approach to governance and development.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2014.