The Federal Minister for Environment Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi said that Pakistan is facing a number of environmental challenges due to accelerated economic and demographic changes. Unsustainable rate of population growth, dependency on natural resources and lack of awareness is gradually leading to over-exploitation and ultimately environmental degradation.
The country is also facing negative consequences of climate change, such as glacial retreat, droughts, flash floods and other associated natural hazard. The environmental degradation is estimated to cause economics loss to the tune of Rs 365 billion per annum, which amounts to 6 percent of GDP of the country.
He expressed these views while inaugurating the "Geography and Environment Carnival 2009" organised by the Department of Geography of the Forman Christian (FC) College, University here on Wednesday. The main purpose of this carnival is to promote the environmental awareness and conservation activities in students, staff and faculty members.
Afridi said that the government of Pakistan has declared 2009 as the National Year of Environment to streamline the efforts for raising awareness and mitigating the effects of environmental degradation and climate change.
Appreciating the initiative of organising Geography and Environment Carnival as a part of the activities of National Year of Environment 2009, the minister said that such events are important in creating awareness amongst our literate young generation about the sanctity of the environs that we live in. He said that it is our duty to preserve and maintain natural form of earth as is the one and only habitat for our living and substance.-PR