ISLAMABAD: The speakers at a session Wednesday urged the Asia-Pacific region countries to develop and advance legislation, regulation and policy to protect, promote and realize the right to a clean healthy and sustainable environment.
Addressing the session titled “Building resilience to preserve our common future” the parliamentarian reflected on National-level options for promoting a green recovery in their respective countries, including in relation to clean energy, biodiversity and waste management and circularity.
They were of a view that green recovery from the covid-19 pandemic as a way to help achieve environmental and sustainable development objectives.
They highlighted the persistence environmental challenges that undermine the achievement of SDGs in various countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
The legislators discussed linkages between habitat loss environmental degradation and climate change, and the emergence of novel zoonotic diseases such as Coronavirus.
The participants emphasized upon the need for enacting legislation that supports sustainable consumption and production, circularity and sustainable waste management, including waste treatment and safe handling of healthcare and biochemical waste.
Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehmam remarked that apart from various socio-economic challenges, Pakistan is making considerable efforts to deal with climate change.
She urged the world to take action to tackle climate change as it knows no borders, sects or colours.
This session focused on the importance of reducing risk building resilience to disasters and other shocks to safeguard development gains.
It shedded light on the importance of reducing risk and building resilience to catastrophes and other shocks.
It also highlighted the persistent environmental challenges that subvert the achievement of SDGs in different countries in the Asia-Pacfic region.
The delegates of various countries described the critical role of Parliamentarians in reducing disaster risk and presenting key actions they can take to advance risk reduction at the national and local levels.
They asked for prioritising laws and regulations that require public investment in conservation programs, sustainable agriculture initiatives and urban green infrastructure in order to reduce deforestation and habitat loss, which are factors that could increase the risk of zoonotic diseases.
The session noted that there should be financial instruments to fund long-term disaster risk reduction initiatives and prioritize citizen engagements in discussions on risk disasters to promote inclusive strategies that are responsive to the risks and needs of constituents.
