AsiaNet-Pakistan Premier Editorial Content and Press Release Distribution Service
Islamabad, In a significant environmental initiative, Pakistan has become the first South Asian country to launch the World Economic Forum’s National Plastic Action Partnership. The announcement was made by Romina Khurshid Alam, the Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, during a ceremony at COMSATS attended by international dignitaries, including the Ambassador of Azerbaijan, the chair of the upcoming COP29.
According to Press Information Department, Alam detailed Pakistan’s aggressive measures to combat climate change, which include integrating climate change education into the curriculum in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission and the Ministry of Federal Education. She highlighted the formation of a committee comprising representatives from all provincial and federal units, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, to address the country’s climate challenges.
Alam emphasized the urgent need for regional cooperation to address the contrasting climate crises affecting different parts of the world, such as droughts in Africa and floods in Pakistan. She also pointed out the severe impact of plastic pollution on aquatic biodiversity, noting that 103 tonnes of plastic are dumped into water bodies annually, severely affecting water quality and blocking drainage systems. Additionally, the burning of 1600 tonnes of plastic annually is causing respiratory illnesses among the population.
The PM’s coordinator expressed her opposition to the unnecessary expenditure of taxpayer money on seminars in five-star hotels, suggesting that these funds could be better used for environmental mitigation efforts. She also reiterated the government’s stance on plastic usage, highlighting the ban on single-use plastics and her personal commitment to avoiding plastic bottled water as part of a zero-tolerance policy towards plastic pollution.
This initiative marks a significant step for Pakistan in leading regional and global efforts to combat environmental degradation and promote sustainability.