‘Red Alert Campaign’ on climate change, environmental conservation launched

Islamabad : To commemorate World Environment Day 2021, Save the Children in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change launched a “Red Alert Campaign” on climate change and environmental conservation – a campaign geared towards placing child rights and voices at the centre of the climate crisis.

Pakistan hosted World Environment Day 2021 in partnership with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

The campaign was inaugurated by the Minister for Climate Change, Malik Amin Aslam. Honorary guest speakers included the German Ambassador to Pakistan Bernhard Schlagheck, Canadian High Commissioner Wendy Gilmour, US Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Richard Snelsire and Country Director of the British Council in Pakistan Amir Ramzan.

The Red Alert Campaign is an initiative of Save the Children in Asia and has been launched in over 15 countries across the region. The launch event fostered an insightful, interactive and critical discussion on the urgency of the climate crisis, bringing the youth together with global leaders, policymakers and civil society. It also featured a youth-led segment, in which a few of Pakistan’s young climate activists discussed issues and potential solutions related to climate change from the perspective of the youth. The young activists also urged global leaders, particularly those belonging to industrialized countries, to increase efforts to combat the impending climate crisis for the sake of future generations.

In his welcome remarks, the Country Director of Save the Children Pakistan Khurram Gondal spoke about the significance of targeting and involving the youth in climate-related discourse and action by providing them with platforms to raise their voice, share their ideas and opinions, and engage with decision-makers and policymakers about climate change at the national, regional and global level.