LAHORE: On the occasion of the Tokyo Olympics, the Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee held a symbolic demonstration here on Friday and demanded that the rich countries go for green, reduce carbon emissions and deliver upon the climate finance obligations.

The demonstrators demanded fossil-fuel-free Asia before 2050. Activists wearing green shirts took part in the demonstration held in collaboration with Asian People’s Movement on Debt and Development.

The participant raised slogans against fossil fuel funding, and for saying no to fossil fuel, oil, and gas-based energy.

Farooq Tariq said that Japan claimed to have taken the initiative to deliver a sustainable Olympics with the theme “Be better, together - For the planet and the people”. It boasts of providing 100pc of renewable electricity for the Tokyo Games and “efforts of reducing CO2 emissions across Japan and throughout the world as a legacy of Tokyo 2020”. However, Japan remains to be the world’s fifth-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases and has spent at least $10.4 billion in public finance for fossil fuel projects in the past few years.

Saima Zia said at nearly one degree Celsius of global warming, people all over the world are already experiencing devastating effects of climate change.

Khalid Mahmood said that the clock was ticking as the world is witnessing longer dry spells, extreme heatwaves, and more destructive typhoons and storm surges.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2021