ISLAMABAD: Experts at a panel discussion on Monday called upon the government to develop a curriculum on climate literacy at the school level to educate the young generation and prepare well-thought-out adaptation plans to help fight the impacts of climate change.

The discussion, ‘Why they march: global movement for climate action’, was organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), said a press release issued by SDPI.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Imran Khalid, head of the environment and climate change section at the SDPI, said regular occurrence of extreme weather events made Pakistan one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate crisis.

“Most of the affected people are poor and vulnerable who live in insecure locales with unreliable food supplies and incomes,” he said.

Regular occurrence of extreme weather events makes Pakistan one of most vulnerable countries to impacts of climate crisis, experts say

In order to ensure a sustainable climate for our future generations, the government needs to be cognizant of the impacts of climate change at the local level and prepare its policies accordingly, he added.

Climate and social justice organiser Anam Rathor said around 100 large corporates and companies around the world were responsible for 70 per cent of the global emissions.

Environmental journalist Rina Saeed Khan quoted the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C and said: “We are already witnessing the consequences of 1 degree Celsius of global warming in the shape of more extreme weather, floods, rising sea levels and diminishing Arctic Sea ice. Beyond 2 degree Celsius the world will be very different, where people might fight over food, riots may erupt over climate migrations, and may adversely impact the ecosystems.”

She said the government should take measures to make its people climate-proof through better adaptation policies and plans at the district level. She also urged the youth to take part in climate strike which was due on Sept 20 to express solidarity with the global movement called Climate March to realise the governments and world leaders that the future of our coming generations is on stake.

Qasim Tareen, a progressive organic farmer, said big real estate tycoons and corporates with strong political backing were now turning agriculture lands and parks into housing societies which socio-political and economic consequences.

Iqbal Badrudin, a representative of Fridays for Future Campaign, stressed the need for climate literacy and raising awareness among the youth and urged the government to develop a curriculum for climate change at the school level to educate the youth to be a responsible citizen and help fight climate change. He also called upon the international community and world leaders to fulfil their promises and uphold their responsibilities.

Climate change practitioner Anam Zeb said environment and climate change were two different things which needed to be tackled separately.

“Large corporates and poor government plans and policy choices are mainly responsible for climate change,” she said.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2019