‘Clean environment to help fight epidemics’

Islamabad : Adviser to the prime minister on climate change Malik Amin Aslam has urged the people to focus on clean environment to fight epidemics.

In a World Environment Day message, the premier's aide said it was time for Nature.

"Green Recovery is the only way forward for protecting the Nature," he said.

Malik Amin Aslam said the Nature was reminding the world of its power to retaliate if invaded as well as rebound if given space.

He said post COVID-19 pandemic, the world needed to go on to the Green Recovery and make the Nature a partner.

The prime minister's adviser said the world was on a warpath with the Nature, so a collective retreat was needed and the Nature had to be taken on board to address climate change.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had approved the Green Stimulus focusing on two objectives – job creation and restoration of natural ecosystems.

"The focal areas for intervention include planting trees, reviving our protected areas and sanitation improvement. The targeted beneficiaries are the unemployed youth and women and the daily wagers who are suddenly out of jobs and migrating to rural areas," he said.

Malik Amin Aslam said the nature-positive Green Stimulus meant to rebuild the economy and stimulate sustainable growth while employing the youth was the need of the day as it would allow Pakistan to not only come out of the economic recession but also build back better and, more importantly, build back green.