ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Climate Change organised an event of certificate distribution ceremony of a plantation campaign under ‘Green Pakistan Programme’ to students, who participated in the campaign.
Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Climate Change Zahid Hamid said that the prime minister approved the Green Pakistan Programme to conserve forests and wildlife in the country. “I really want to appreciate the efforts of these young minds and the Pakistan Institute for Environment-Development Action Research (PIEDAR). These small steps can bring bigger changes,” he added. “PIEDAR was doing an excellent job in environmental education”, the minister maintained.
He also highlighted that this is first practical initiative of plantation under the Green Pakistan Programme taken by the Ministry of Climate Change with school children. The purpose of this initiative was to prepare young minds to make Pakistan green. I am really impressed by seeing the enthusiasm and interest of children in the plantation campaign.
The federal minister also mentioned that Pakistan signed the Paris agreement and showed its commitments to implement it. Pakistan is going to participate in COP-22 in November. This plantation campaign before COP-22 was also a step to prove country’s commitment and also to show that concrete steps were taken to create awareness about the climate change. “We are trying our level best to ensure excellent participation of Pakistan in COP-22,” he added.
Federal Climate Change Secretary, Syed Abu Ahmad Akif, welcomed the guests and said, “We are really proud of our young students, who made our first effort successful in making Pakistan Green under the Green Pakistan Programme. They showed wonderful efforts and contributed to the plantation campaign to fulfil our target of planting 100 million trees in the country.” While thanking the students and teachers, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Climate Change and Green Pakistan Programme, Rizwan Mehboob said, “You have to take care of your planted trees in your institution and make sure that they flourish. The role of the teachers was also very important in Green Pakistan Programme; they can educate and motivate their students about the importance of planting trees.” Chief Executive of PIEDAR, Syed Qutub, also addressed the participants and said that the PIEDAR was working hard for environmental education. The Green Pakistan Programme was a great initiative by the government. “We are happy to become part of this campaign under Green Pakistan Programme, he added. This campaign was conducted on 7-8 September. The total number of schools that participated was seven and approximately 600 trees were planted in this two-day campaign. The survival rate of the trees is about 60%.
Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Climate Change and Green Pakistan Programme Rizwan Mehboob, officers of forest wing and other officers of Ministry of Climate Change participated in this plantation campaign.