Daily Times

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Climate Change, Malik Amin Aslam on Sunday said Prime Minister Imran Khan amid his world-acclaimed green vision of ecological conservation for coming generations, wanted to sign the “Charter of Environment” with all political parties.

The SAPM announced Prime Minister’s intent during a media debrief on World Environment Day (WED) 2021 celebrations hosted by Pakistan in recognition of its successful ecosystem restoration measures implemented on ground ahead of United Nations Ecosystem Restoration Decade 2021-2030.

Amin said, “It has been an honour and a proud moment for the entire nation that all global leaders at the prestigious platform of the UN for the first in seven decades’ history of the country have given uncontroversial support to Pakistan on the global issue of climate change.”

He said the Prime Minister, keeping in view the promising trajectory of the country in ecological conservation praised by the world, wanted to have consensus among all political parties.

Prime Minister Imran Khan particularly wanted it with the opposition parties so that all of them own the Clean Green Vision as a national cause linked with the future of the coming generation, he added.

“The Prime Minister wants all political parties to support us in this eco-friendly and environment restoring policies. Whosoever comes into power, the vision of ecosystem restoration could not be derailed rather remains intact and is given due impetus to achieve targets under the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration,” the SAPM remarked.

He added that the UN heads of various bodies including UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, UN Convention to Combat Desertification, UN-Habitat, UNDP, UNOPS, FAO, President of IUCN and co-host UNEP have endorsed the green vision and on ground implementation of various environmental preservation measures.

The SAPM said it was rare that the heads of these UN bodies with the participation of 180 countries had a unanimous and praising opinion for a country like Pakistan that had made the nation a leader in ecosystem conservation at the global level. Amin told the media that all those leaders approached by Pakistan to attend the WED 2021 had participated in the event which was a great success and they all gave unprecedented support to the green vision of Pakistan and especially the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Plantation project.

Most importantly, he said our brotherly country China has extended all out support to Pakistan in ecosystem restoration endeavours of the latter. “China is heading the Conference of Parties (COP-15) on the UN Convention on Biological Diversity this year as a leader nation,” he noted.

The next important message was of the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson who paid salute twice to the Prime Minister for his massive Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Plantation Project and conservation of mangroves in the coastal belt, he added.

President of World Economic Forum (WEF) Borge Brende also gave a very strong message and termed Pakistan among the countries who were implementing more on ground and paying no lip service to ecological conservation.

The SAPM highlighted the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Inger Anderson who was the co-host for this event and joined live through Zoom link.

She also lauded the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Plantation and Protected Areas Initiatives as in line with the Ecosystem Restoration Decade vision that aimed to preserve ecosystem and employment simultaneously.

He underscored that no ministers from foreign nations were invited yet the German Minister for Environment approached Pakistan to participate in the WED 2021 and gave a special message for Pakistan.

“It is all Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision of restoring reputable image and identity of Pakistan among the comity of nations as yesterday the entire world lauded Pakistan and gave firm endorsement and acknowledgment to its ecosystem restoration green measures,” Amin remarked.

A video presenting the messages of global leaders was also shown to the media during the presser.

Responding to APP’s query, he said Green Bond launched by the country helped garner trust of the commercial market that would help get financing for developing hydro energy projects.

Pakistan was also negotiating with the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada on debt for nature swap where all of them had agreed to hold a dialogue on this which would bear unprecedented dividends for the nation once it was successful.

He also mentioned that youth of the country had developed indigenous electric bikes, rickshaws and un-assembled cars which was a great success where the EV policy incentives facing bureaucratic hiccups would be expedited soon.