ISLAMABAD: The World Wide Fund for Nature - Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan), Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) and Serena Hotels on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding with the aim to work towards their common objectives of climate change mitigation and climate adaptation, land degradation, food security, biodiversity conservation and enhancing community resilience.

The agreement was signed in view of Pakistan’s needs and to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The MoU signing ceremony was held at Islamabad Serena Hotel where Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam, was the chief guest.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Aslam appreciated the step taken by Serena Hotels and its implementing partners for cementing the alliance towards a green and clean future, and assured the parties full support of the government in its implementation. While he acknowledged the efforts of AKRSP in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral, he urged WWF to come up with green certifications for the industry, to regulate their environmental imprint and set a positive example for others

“Our aim is not only to mitigate the carbon emissions for our hotels but to become carbon negative. Hence we have partnered with WWF-Pakistan and AKRSP for the effective implementation and widening of scope for our mission, and to link it with the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Pakistan (TBTTP) and Clean and Green Environment Movement (CGP) of Prime Minister Imran Khan,” said Aziz Boolani, CEO Serena Hotels South and Central Asia.

CEO of WWF-Pakistan Hammad Ali Naqi and AKRSP CEO Jamiluddin also spoke on the occasion, and highlighted their respective organisations’ contributions to the mitigation of climate change. They remarked that the recent Covid-19 pandemic had further highlighted the need for protecting vulnerable ecosystems.

They also pointed out the importance of the private sector stepping forward and going beyond typical CSR activities to become leadership champions and provide stewardship by addressing the environmental footprint within their boundaries.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2021