Aiming to encourage informed debate on climate change, the event brought together people from diverse backgrounds to become part of the exchanges taking place worldwide in the crucial reflection on how to explore the opportunities arising through the irreversible transition to low carbon economies while ensuring equitable access to sustainable development.
The event kicked off with the participants cycling from the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on a designated route as a symbolic gesture to raise awareness to curtail the growth of greenhouse emissions by promoting eco-friendly modes of transportation.
The event then moved on to documentary screening-Our Planet, Our Business-which shed light on role of businesses in building sustainable future. It shows that all business activities depend on the nature. Planet Earth provides our societies with all the material we need for free including: clean air and water, food, soil, a benign climate and productive seas. But the global loss of nature is making the planet less stable and is already costing our economies trillions of dollars every year.
Addressing the event, Malik Amin Aslam, Adviser to Prime Minister on Climate Change, who was the chief guest of the event, said that Pakistan annually faces economic losses between US$ 6-14 billion solely due to deteriorating climatic conditions. He pointed out that melting of the glaciers in its northern regions of Pakistan could disturb the biodiversity of the entire country and adversely influence the climatic conditions. "The current government is fully aware of the climate change challenges facing Pakistan and is taking adequate measures to deal with them", he added.
He also pointed out a number of projects including the 10 billion trees plantation project, introducing electric vehicles, ban on plastic bags in Islamabad that would also be extended to rest of the countries with a view to save the environment from their adverse impacts.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador-designate of the European Union to Pakistan, Androulla Kaminara said that the EU continues to reaffirm its steadfast commitment to the Paris Agreement as the essential multilateral framework governing global action to deal with climate change.
"While the EU is on track to exceed its 2020 target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it is determined to help raise global ambition and lead the way on accelerated climate action on all fronts", she said. She said that the youth climate movement is a sign of the growing awareness in our societies that climate change is a reality already that requires action now. She said that the EU will continue engaging with partners, including Pakistan, to address the common challenge of climate change through a multilateral approach. Particularly since Pakistan is ranked as the seventh country most venerable to climate change in the world, she added.
Rab Nawaz, Senior Director Programmes, WWF-Pakistan said that climate change is a bitter reality that poses a greater threat to our present and future generations. He said that Pakistan is at risk of climate related natural hazards as we have been witnessing widespread rains, super floods, frequent heat waves and temperature rise and incidences of coastal flooding and sea intrusion.
He said that nature-based solutions such as large-scale plantation drives, protection of existing forests, promotion of renewable energy and conservation of water resources should be adopted to address this grave challenge. He emphasised the need for unprecedented action to tackle the issue of climate change at the local, regional and global levels.