The theme of World Environment Day this year, “Give Earth a Chance” is a reminder that we must act collectively to adopt production and consumption patterns that sustain our natural resources, if we wish to save our planet, Earth, which is our common heritage.

The world, as a Global Village, provides us with a number of opportunities and challenges.  The expansion of industrialization worldwide, the population explosion, and the resultant increase in human activity has put the natural environment under great stress. There is strong evidence that the natural life support systems on which our economies depend are being overloaded, and unless a shift is made towards sustainable development, we might face severe shortages or cause irreversible damage to our ecosystems and hence, to our habitats.  Besides the profound ethical and aesthetic implications, it is clear that the loss of bio-diversity that is occurring carries with it severe economic and social costs.

The poor are the greater victims of environmental degradation because of their vulnerabilities.  The various consumption patterns and life styles of our people at all economic levels are a major cause of the environmental degradation and pollution that we experience today.  This impacts more heavily on poverty-stricken areas forcing people to become environmental refugees who migrate to towns and cities in search of a living to sustain their families.    In turn, it adds to the stress already faced by both urban and rural environments, and the poverty trap gets harsher, also depressing the literacy level.  We now find that we have grown oblivious to the fact that animals, plants, or species all have specific roles and functions in the ecosystem that sustain our lives in the form of forests, wildlife habitat, protected areas, parks, grasslands, fresh water resources, wetlands or coastal areas.  It is time to realize that they all deserve to be treated with greater respect and that a balance must be achieved between the need for development and the need for the conservation of our natural resources so that we achieve sustainable development.  In this sustainability, lies our own survival, well-being and prosperity. 

Just as a family protects its members, so we, as Pakistanis, must protect our own ecosystems and habitats from further degradation or we will force devastation upon ourselves.  Our future generations have a right over us to inherit the Earth with all the  bounties of Nature available to them for their own well-being and sustainability.

In this fast changing information era, technology and communication are playing a major role in spreading awareness of environmental issues and are encouraging international co-operation. We must reciprocate.   We must also recognize the importance of the contribution of traditional knowledge that for centuries has protected and conserved the environment.  Traditional cultural values also have provided continuity in such practices that sustain environments and conserve bio-diversity.  So we must include our local communities and our District Governments to ensure development occurs in a way that is beneficial both to the community and the environment.

The Government of Pakistan stands firm in its resolution to eradicate poverty, consolidate local governance, develop water resources and ensure sustainable development in order to  save our land, air, water and natural resources from further degradation.  So let us all get together and work to Give Earth a Chance..