Pakistan is one of 10 most vulnerable countries due to climate change and also bore huge economic losses owing to the huge disaster caused due to environmental degradation. The environmentalists and activists across the country have expedited their efforts to mobilize masses from all walks of life especially youth and students including the school going children.
The activists across the country had joined hands to hold the first nationwide Climate March on September 20 to highlight urgency of grave impacts of climate change in the region.
The environmentalists had started floating video messages on Twitter, Facebook and other social media networks to gain maximum public participation and create awareness for the cause. However, state minister for Climate Change Zartaj Gul would be the chief guest at the protest. The climate march activists were tweeting at “Climate Action Pakistan” Twitter handle.
Senior environmental journalist Afia Salam told media that the Climate March would attract the attention of the entire nation towards the pressing issue of climate change, jeopardizing the future of coming generations. “Pakistan is directly embracing the impacts of climate change which is badly disturbing the ecology in the country,” she added.
There had been deliberations and consultations with students, parents, teachers and climate change activists since past many months to draw attention towards the serious and potential threats posed by increasing environmental degradation, Afia said.
She informed that there had been different groups, formed over social media to engage students, youth, parents, experts and other members of the civil society separately to muster maximum number of people for the march.
“We will also try to engage the Ministry of Climate Change and the government to partake in the Climate March,” she added. Afia told APP that the march had been organized in the backdrop of Greta Thunberg’s (a Swedish student) world famous protest outside Swedish Parliament to demonstrate for with raising global awareness of the risks posed by climate change, and with holding politicians to account for their lack of action on “climate crisis”.
Environment Lawyer Ahmad Rafay Alam, also part of the movement for Climate March said Pakistan was among the most vulnerable countries due to climate change where 2 degree Celsius increase in temperature could cause Himalayan, Hindu Kush and Karakoram glaciers to melt.
