Daily Times

One could be forgiven for thinking that for most of us, it will be news that Sunday was World Environment Day. Initiated by the United Nations Environment Programme, World Environment Day — June 5 — is meant to make people the world over stop, think and take action against the hyperbolic speed at which the global environment is changing — for the worse. From climate change to forest depletion, such a day is meant not so much for celebration but for the reversal of the burgeoning environmental crisis that is plaguing the entire world. The world over, key initiatives and projects were drawn up to decelerate man’s havoc on his surroundings; even neighbouring India acted as a global host for World Environment Day with a week-long roster of events such as token marches, tree-plantings and seminars.

Meanwhile, in Pakistan, this extremely important day went by without so much as an acknowledgement from the government. Yes, Pakistan is caught up in a barrage of crises and violent struggles but that does not mean that such an important initiative be ignored. Only a few extremely small seminars by the Environment Protection Department attended by a mere smattering of people were observed.

Pakistan is a country ailed by the hazards of pollution and, as we have seen in the case of the disastrous floods in 2010, global warming. The melting of the Himalayan glaciers in the South Asian region has caused indescribable harm, as we have recently witnessed. In addition, Pakistan has been left with hardly any forest cover, depleting our air of pure oxygen. National awareness on such monumental issues is sadly lacking. No steps are ever taken to breathe life into the research and solution of these problems here, not even token efforts.

Water is being claimed the biggest threat to regional peace as it will be a commodity that will be fought over. Without taking steps to care for our environment today, we may face droughts and deluges tomorrow. Admittedly, Pakistan is not a global player industrially so its contribution to reversing global warming may be limited, but we can still do something about the overbearing pollution prevalent here. We need to plant trees, we need to stop ruthlessly slaughtering the meagre forest cover we have, and we must invest in the necessary research to play our part in solving this global problem. The environment is the whole world’s problem, and we are part of the problem if we do not do our bit. *