Supreme Court of Pakistan hosted a conference on climate change in the federal capital on Saturday — an initiative that needs to be lauded given the significant impacts of climate change on our lives. Titled “Navigating Climate Governance: Executive Action and Judicial Oversight,” the summit brought together top jurists, environmental experts, government officials and notable speakers to discuss crucial strategies in dealing with climate-related challenges.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa’s remarks during the conference underscored urgent need for adopting eco-friendly measures and promoting a healthy lifestyle to tackle prevailing climate crisis. His suggestion to provide bicycles to all judges highlights a practical approach towards reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable transportation methods. In many countries around the world, including the Netherlands and Denmark, it is common for government functionaries, judges and people from all walks of life to commute to work on bicycles. CJP Isa’s proposal aligns with global practices where bicycles are embraced not only as a means of transport but also to reducing environmental impact. Our country, despite contributing less than 1% to global emissions, is acutely feeling the impacts of climate change. Devastating floods, flash droughts, water scarcity and extreme heat waves have become recurrent challenges. The recent advisory from the National Drought Monitoring Centre warns of a potential flash drought situation exacerbated by heat waves, further stressing agriculture, water resources and livestock.
It is evident that climate change knows no borders, and concerted efforts are needed to mitigate its effects. Organising such conferences from different platforms is essential not only to highlight severity of the issue but also to press concerned authorities into action. Climate change is not just an environmental problem, it impacts every sector of society, from agriculture to economy to public health. In our view, the judiciary holds significant responsibility in dealing with this issue. Through judicial oversight, courts can ensure that environmental laws are upheld, hold government bodies and corporations accountable for environmental degradation and provide a platform for affected communities to seek justice. Judicial decisions can set precedents that encourage sustainable practices and discourage actions that harm the environment.
