We must stop new fossil fuel projects and declare a climate emergency to end the era of fossil fuels and invest in environmental justice. Bold climate action is long overdue and we are running out of time. Every moment that we waste on new fossil fuel projects magnifies the environmental and social disasters in the world. The climate crisis exacerbates all other crises – it is the most pressing crisis of our time. We now produce more fossil fuels than at any other time in the world's history. Countries like Pakistan are bearing the brunt of fossil fuel pollution and the climate crisis.
Despite activism to slow down global warming, fossil fuel companies around the world are doing everything in their power to keep us hooked on oil. But we should not fall for their schemes. We know that renewables are the cheapest source of electricity and that fossil fuels must be phased out. We need direct action from the highest levels as the time has passed for incremental action. We need to protect our communities from the climate crisis by putting a ban on crude oil imports and stopping investments in fossil fuel projects.
Engr Viqar ul Haq
Islamabad