Islamabad, April 24, 2019 (PPI-OT): Embassy of United States in Pakistan has pledged its support in Pakistan’s efforts for an environmentally clean Pakistan. US Embassy has also proposed to send its expert from USA in order to help develop National Parks. US is also willing to help Pakistan in Air Quality management. This was said by the Ambassador of the United States in Pakistan in a meeting with Prime Minister’s Advisor on Climate Change, Malik Ameen Aslam. US Ambassador in Islamabad H.E. Paul Jones called on Advisor to the Prime Minister on Tuesday in order to explore the possibilities of cooperation between the two countries in the area of climate change and environmental protection.
Advisor to the Prime Minister briefed on the success story of planting 1 billion trees in KPK during previous tenure of PTI in KPK. H.E. Ambassador appreciated the project and took keen interest in upcoming project of the present government named as Clean Green Pakistan Movement aimed at planting 10 billion trees in Pakistan. Advisor to the Prime Minister also briefed on the salient features of the project particularly about the plant species and the areas under plantation. When he took the initiative of planting one billion trees in KPK, there were only 20 million saplings available in the nurseries in the whole province of KPK and that their government raised the capacity of the nurseries to produce 250 million saplings per year, told the advisor.
This also helped create jobs in KPK and hence developing sustainable rural communities. Advisor to the Prime Minister apprised the Ambassador that Pakistan was the one of the worst affected countries of global climate change. And that the only way forward was managing the micro climate by reforestation of the country by organizing sustainable communities. Government of Pakistan focused on educating the people especially the student in order to engineer their behaviours towards climate change and micro environment.
Ambassador also offered his country’s support in other areas of climate and environment protection. He informed that US embassy had installed Air Quality Monitors in Embassy and consulates all across Pakistan in order to monitor air quality for its staff members and that data was publically available online. He also emphasized on the need of having bilateral cooperation between National Parks in the United States and those of Pakistan.
Mr. Aslam pointed out 24 National Park sites and his resolve for promoting eco-tourism especially in Northern Areas of Pakistan. In another event, organized by the Ministry of Climate Change and NDC partnership in a local Hotel, Advisor to the Prime Minister said that Pakistan had institutional framework for protection of environment but there was lack of political will. Climate change was affecting all walks of life including agriculture and farmers.
Glaciers were fast melting in the northern region which put Pakistan at the front line of climate change. Advisor to the Prime Minister said, while addressing, that climate change policy already existed but there was need of the hour to make things happen under its guidelines. Under the umbrella of the policy, they had already taken all the provinces on board in order to make 10 billion trees project a success. Pakistan was the only developing country which was putting money on table for the purpose of forestation. He also thanked donor agencies and private sector for putting their effort for the cause.
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