ماحولیاتی آفات ہمارے وسائل کے لئے بڑے خطرے ہیں۔۔۔۔ وزیر ماحولیات حمید اللہ جان افریدی

Online - ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Environment Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi has said that our natural resources are indeed our valuable assets, adding that, environmental tragedies, like global warming and climate change certainly pose a viable threat to our assets and our goal to achieve healthier and happier lifestyles.

"Although climate change affects all aspects of life and ecosystems but its impact on wetlands is more pronounced, he said these views while addressing the closing ceremony of Wetlands Day, organized by the Ministry of Environment’s Pakistan Wetlands Program here Saturday. Federal Minister for Environment was the chief guest in the ceremony.

Federal Minister said on this occasion, that in Pakistan unexpected hot and dry summers, increased floods and cyclones are due to climate change which we have seen in Makran Coast during past few years and drastic reduction in rain falls. While commenting on the effects of climate change on wetlands, he said that the impact is visible in the form of enhanced frequency and intensity of hurricanes and coastal storms, out of season rains and floods, drought and acute shortage of water and glacial melt.

He further said that Pakistan has about 225 significant wetlands and these wetlands are found across different eco-regions of the country. Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi while highlighting the importance of wetlands, said that wetlands serve many purposes, on one hand they serve as purifiers or as natural buffers to water pollution and on the other hand, they can serve as remedies to climate change impacts by providing protection against climate extremities such as floods. Moreover, climate change has a profound effect on our fragile ecosystems such as the wetlands.

He emphasized that as responsible citizens, we have to make individual actions and collaborative efforts to curtail the negative impacts of this change. He further added that first of all there is need to educate ourselves and then raise our awareness about this evolving phenomenon which will help us to adopt eco-friendly lifestyles and value the conservation and protection of our precious natural resources he added.

The Minister also informed the participants that from April 2010, environmental education is also being introduced in the syllabus upto intermediate level.

Federal Minister said we are celebrating this event Saturday to commemorate the value of these extremely vital systems and to acknowledge the need to conserve them through global action by acting on the principles set by the Ramsar convention and through local initiative such as contributing in the efforts made by the Pakistan Wetlands Program, Ministry of Environment. In concluding remarks he urged to lend environment a hand that is our national, social, cultural and religious responsibility. It is to preserve our present and sustain our future".

Rector, Behria University, Admiral Mohammad Haroon also addressed the participants. Earlier, Federal Minister visited different stalls arranged by different schools on this occasion. He appreciated the tableaus performed by the students to highlight the importance of wetlands.

It is important to mention here that this combined nation-wide event featured a range of activities with a special focus on raising-awareness of wetlands and, in particular, their significance to lessen the impact of the severe weather conditions that is likely consequence of climate change. The wetlands day celebrations were held simultaneously in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Gilgit, Rahim Yar Khan, Naushera, D.I. Khan, Chitral, Peshawar, Jhelum, Mardan, Gwadar, and Jiwani. In all, more than 100 school children and university students participated in the program.

Source - ONLINE