To mark the celebrations of World Environment Day 2022, National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA) organized Interactive Webinar on the theme “Resorting and Protecting Pakistan’s Environment-Way Forward Toward ‘Only One Earth’. Senator Sherry Rehman, Federal Minister for Climate Change graced the occasion as a Chief Guest.Protection of environment and natural resources is critical to sustain like and in order to do so, we need to act fast.
As a whole of society, all components of the society must act and join hands in preserving our environment. She further stated that, we need to be critically conscious about our individual and collective roles in preventing the earth of becoming inhabitable.
She said that three key challenges; pollution, lose of biodiversity and climate change are the most important issues Pakistan needs to focus on.
She said Pakistan is one of the ten most vulnerable countries in the world. Our glaciers are rapidly melting. The Indus, which is the jugular of the river system and feeds 90% of our agricultural sector, which coincidentally uses 85% of Pakistan’s total water supply, is rapidly drying.
The UN has predicted we will be water-scarce by 2025. This is not some remote future; rather it is a looming crisis,While speaking on the occasion, Director General NIMA, Vice Admiral (R) Abdul Aleem HI (M), said that the year 2022 is a historic milestone for the global environmental community as it marks 50 years since 1972’s United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm with the slogan ‘Only One Earth’.
The idea for selecting the same theme this year is to seek inspiration from the true spirit of the commitments made by the global leadership half a century ago and review our deeds.
He said that goals of poverty alleviation and environmental protection are closely linked, and pave the way for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Therefore, there is dire need to have a balance approach towards economic development while keeping in view the sustainability of environment like other awareness activities.
The guest speakers having vast experience on the subject deliverd their valuable talks, Ms. Farzana Altaf Shah , DG Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency said the Government is taking significant initiatives to address the environmental challenges but we need support from all walks of life.
Pro-Vice Chancellor of Loralai, Balochistan, Prof. Dr. Zahoor Ahmed Bazai, Prof. Dr. Zafar Iqbal Shams (Institute of Environmental Studies, Karachi University), Mahmood Akhter Cheema (Country Representative, IUCN), and Dr. Salma Hamza (HOD Earth and Environment Sciences, Bahria University, Karachi Campus).
shared his views on Collective Actions for protecting and restoring the environment.Cdre (R) Ali Abbas SI (M) Director NIMA-K said that NIMA will continue to play its role for creating awareness through active advocacy and maritime research. The event was attended by a large number of eminent personalities experts. govt officials. faculty member.
Students and key maritime stakeholders. In the end the DG NIMA Vice Admiral (retd) Abdul Aleem HI(M) thanked the chief guest Speakers and participants for their interests and appreciate team NIMA Karachi headed by Cdre (Retd) Ali Abbas for making this event rewarding and successful. He assured that NIMA will continue to conduct more informative webinar and activities.
