Pakistan cannot afford to confront its climate crises one disaster, one season and one international summit at a time.
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THE poisonous smog blanketing Punjab is an immediate threat to public health, but it also points to a larger environmental crisis that Pakistan can no longer address through piecemeal measures. Lahore’s air quality index stood at a
hazardous 358 on Wednesday, while other cities struggled under the same toxic haze.
Federal and provincial governments must work together and ensure that environmental regulations are properly enforced. Businesses, too, must reduce their environmental impact, while citizens have a responsibility to conserve resources, avoid polluting their surroundings and demand action from the state.
None of this will be easy in a country facing serious fiscal constraints. But the cost of delay is already being paid in illness, damaged livelihoods and repeated disruption. Pakistan cannot afford to confront its climate crises one disaster, one season and one international summit at a time.
PS: begging for financial help
