We have exhausted natural resources, says CJP

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa on Saturday said that we have exhausted natural resources, adding that natural environment can be saved only by avoiding wastage.

The chief justice was addressing the concluding ceremony of a one-day conference on climate change, “Navigating Climate Governance -- Executive Action and Judicial Oversight”, held here in the Supreme Court. The conference, organised by the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, aimed to foster a dialogue on Pakistan’s profound and growing climate change challenge to human rights regimes, and take stock and discuss challenges and next steps.

Justice Isa said that when we go to the doctor for treatment, they tell us to quit smoking and take a walk, when the human body temperature increases, it means that we are getting sick, just one degree increase is called fever. “Today the earth is sick, it has fever and is absorbing a lot of smoke,” the CJP said, adding that we are making plastic but are not disposing it off.

He further said that every doctor says to use vegetables instead of meat, and quoted Hazrat Ali (AS) saying: “Do not make your stomach a graveyard for animals.” The CJP said that sugar was the first drug that was discovered, adding that doctors also recommend taking a walk for a healthy life. He said that his brother judge, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah has asked for hybrid vehicles, but we need to walk. If you want, bicycles can be provided to all the judges.

Earlier, addressing the occasion, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said that the Supreme Court, high court and district judiciary judges need to bring climate change cases into the mainstream like criminal and civil cases. The judge said that everyone is united for dealing with climate change, adding that there was a huge flood in Pakistan in 2022, which affected thousands of people, and the country lost billions of dollars due to the devastating flood. “|It is not easy for Pakistan to allocate large funds to deal with climate change,” Justice Mansoor said.

In her address, Justice Ayesha Malik stressed that the conference should provide a solution whereby we can protect our planet and people from the effects of artificial climate change.

Justice Jawad Hassan emphasized the judiciary had led the way in the climate change cases and it would lead the way, especially by providing a secure environment for climate finance.

The conference was also addressed by Ambassador of Azerbaijan Khizr Farhadov who said that the effects of climate change are devastating, not only for the future but also for the present.