By Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
Members of a legislative body of Upper House of parliament on Wednesday emphasized that fog was a natural phenomenon, whereas human activities contribute to the formation of smog. They stressed the need to implement measures to combat smog, particularly in areas like Lahore.
These views were discussed during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change presided by Senator Seemee Ezdi, which was held today at Parliament House. The meeting commenced with Chairperson Senator Seemee Ezdi emphasizing the challenges posed by fog in urban areas.
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination provided the committee members with a comprehensive briefing on various aspects of fog, including its formation, types, frequency in winter, and the related issue of smog: covering its types, causes, and impact. Senator Farooq Hamid Naek emphasized that fog is a natural phenomenon, whereas human activities contribute to the formation of smog. He stressed the need to implement measures to combat smog, particularly in areas like Lahore.
The ministry clarified that both carbon-intensive industries and general pollution contribute to smog. It was conveyed that 45 percent of smog is attributed to vehicle emissions. In discussions about the way forward, the ministry emphasized key factors, such as enhancing fuel quality, implementing mandatory annual certification for vehicles, promoting clean energy and sustainable transportation, adopting cleaner agricultural practices, improving waste management, raising public awareness and education, and implementing urban forestation.
The ministry affirmed that Living Indus has been selected from among 150 applications for the World Restoration Flagship of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, and this achievement was commended by the committee members.
