As Pakistan tackles climate change, experts warn that plastic pollution poses a major hurdle, casting a shadow over the nation’s efforts to protect its ecosystems and combat environmental degradation.
“Despite strides in environmental policy and activism, the pervasive presence of plastic pollution threatens to prolong the nation’s fight against climate instability. From clogged waterways to compromised ecosystems, the detrimental effects of plastic cast a shadow over Pakistan’s sustainability aspirations, underscoring the urgency of concerted action” warned a renowned environmentalist Dr Ejaz Ahmed, a former Director at WWF-Pakistan.
Dr Ejaz Ahmed also advocated the potential of recycling initiatives and scientific advancements in transforming plastic waste into a valuable resource for the country’s benefit. From co-processing fuel in cement production to construction materials, innovative solutions promise to mitigate the plastic menace while reducing carbon emissions, he remarked.
Highlighting the adverse effects of plastic in everyday human life and health, Dr Ejaz said the repercussions of plastic pervasiveness are manifold, from endangering aquatic life to clogging drainage systems and health woes.
Despite concerted efforts to raise awareness and enforce regulations; the insidious spread of plastic persists, permeating daily life from household items to food packaging, he lamented.
Plastic pollution, omnipresent and insidious, is wreaking havoc and from production to disposal, its detrimental effects reverberate across ecosystems, posing a daunting challenge to Pakistan’s sustainability efforts, he said. In Pakistan, where the spectre of climate change looms large, the battle against plastic pollution has assumed paramount importance. With over 300 million tonnes of plastic churned out globally each year, and a staggering half of it comprising single-use plastics, the urgency to stem this tide has never been more pressing.—APP
