Collective efforts to deal with climate change, says minister

Lahore: Speakers at grow festival and launching ceremony of Climate Public Expenditure Review (CPER) called upon the need to make collective efforts to combat climate change challenges and allocate financial resources appropriately.

The event was organised by Punjab University College of Earth and Environmental Sciences (CEES) in collaboration with Oxfam Pakistan and Indus Consortium at PU. Punjab Minister for Environment Zakiya Shahnawaz, Minister for Food Bilal Yasin, PU Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Taqi Zahid Butt, Oxfam Country Director Muhammad Qazlibash, Chairman Indus Consortium Jamshed Farid, CEES Principal Prof Dr Sajid Rashid, MPA Chaudhary Muhammad Iqbal, senior journalist Mian Habib, female farmers from Rajanpur, Muzafargarrh, Layyah, and Multan, and a large number of students were present.

The event was full of cultural festivity, colors and a variety of cultural food stalls were set-up by community women from different districts of Punjab. PU CEES students displayed various models to sensitise participants about climate change and waste management issues. They also presented a tableau regarding industrialisation and its effects on environment and society.

The findings of CPER suggested a separate portion for climate control should be included in each PC-1 of ADP scheme, an independent and integrated climate control policy and climate control cell in each department of Punjab, more investments in mitigation to meet international standards, and climate control measures such as biodiversity and vulnerable ecosystem.

Addressing the ceremony, Zakiya Shahnawaz said a comprehensive policy to protect the environment would be finalised soon. She said it was high time for Pakistan to get fully prepared on the legal, institutional and policy frameworks regarding climate change using a bottom-up approach at district and provincial levels. She said climate change threat could be dealt with collective efforts of government and citizens.

She said the Punjab government was extending support to female farmers and committed to resolve their issues. Bilal Yasin stressed the need to fight food insecurity. A number of projects had been initiated to fight food insecurity, he said.

Prof Dr Taqi Zahid Butt said the extension of cities and establishment of housing societies were major reasons contributing to environment pollution. Sharing the findings of a research, Qazlibash said women farmers were not getting the resources they need to feed their families and communities and adapt to climate change.