Environment Day host Pakistan urges protection of ecosystems

Islamabad, Jun 4 (EFE).- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday highlighted the need to protect ecosystems to combat the climate crisis.

Khan made the statement on the eve of International Environment Day, which Pakistan is hosting this year.

“We all need to protect our ecosystems. The rapidly depleting tree cover and degradation of our environment needs to be stopped,” Khan said at an online event to mark the launch of Environment Day.

This year’s celebration is dedicated to the reforestation of ecosystems, and the Pakistani prime minister stressed the need to halt the rapid degradation of the environment through green initiatives.

He highlighted some of the plans carried out by his government to fight deforestation, such as the “tsunami” program to plant 10 billion trees across the country. About one billion seeds have already been planted.

He also highlighted the policy to promote electric vehicles or the creation of green jobs as part of the Pakistani government’s initiatives to promote a more sustainable world.

“We managed to give 80,000 green jobs to our people, saving them from the unemployment that followed the lockdowns from the coronavirus,” said Khan, adding that women and young people living in rural areas have been especially benefited by this program.

Pakistan, which is among the countries most affected by global warming, has in recent years  opened nine national parks in addition to the 30 existing parks in the country, he said.

The inaugural event for World Environment Day will also be attended by other leaders and personalities such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Pope Francis, among others. EFE

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