Pakistan to host Environment Day

Islamabad : Pakistan will host the World Environment Day 2021 in partnership with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

A summary of the climate change ministry in this respect was approved by Prime Minister Imran Khan last week saying it’s a great recognition of the global community of the government’s various initiatives taken for the conservation and protection of environment, wildlife, natural resources and climate risk reduction, climate change ministry's focal person Muhammad Saleem told 'The News'.

He said a formal announcement in this regard would be made on Monday during a joint news conference to be held at a local hotel by jointly by Prime Minister’s Special Assisant on Climate Change Malik Amin Asalm and UN Environment Programme’s Executive Director Inger Andersen.

The event will also be attended among others by top key senior officials of the foreign ministry, cliamte change ministry, and United Nations Residence Coordination Office.

The focal person said the year’s observance of World Environment Day would be celebrated under the theme of ‘ecosystem restoration’ with enhanced spotlight on realigning the global community’s relation with nature for its protection and protection.

He said the World Environment Day took place every year on June 5, while it was the United Nations’ flagship day for promoting public awareness and action globally for the environment.

The day would also mark the formal launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021 – 2030.

The UN Decade is intended to massively scale up the restoration of degraded and destroyed ecosystems to fight the climate crisis, prevent the loss of a million species and enhance food security water supply and livelihoods.

The UN Decade runs from 2021 through 2030, which is also the deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals and the timeline scientists have identified critical for avoiding the worst impacts of climate change.

Meanwhile, the climate change ministry official said that over the years it has been the largest global forum for environmental public outreach, awareness and is celebrations marked by millions of people across the world.

Mr Saleem said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Special Assistant on Climate Change made the announcement on the sidelines of the virtually-held the Fifth UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5), which was also attended by UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen as co-participant.

During the event, both leaders acknowledged the urgency of preventing, stemming and rolling back the degradation of ecosystems worldwide, he said.

“The government is fully committed to playing a leadership role in tackling the pressing issue of climate change, including through the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami Programme, which would help restore and enhance over one million hectares of forest across the country," Aslam told the worldwide participants of the UNEA-5 event.