Climate change needs to be discussed at every forum, Shazia Marri

KARACHI, June 3,2022- Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Shazia Atta Marri has said that climate change is an important and a serious issue which needs to be discussed at every forum. She said that there are negative effects of climate change on all aspects of society and everything gets affected from it especially health but it’s the women and children that get affected most.

This she expressed addressing in the launching ceremony of “Advancing the Leadership of Women and Girls Toward Better Health and Climate Change Resilience,” organized by Pathfinder International partnered with the Ministry of Sindh Environment Climate Change & Coastal Development.

Shazia Marri said that Climate change is causing problems like water scarcity, heatwave, floods, and droughts across the globe and gradually impacting on the economy and directly passing on the most vulnerable section of the population.

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She informed that the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) is an important component of the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety and under Benazir Income Support Program approximately 8 million households are benefiting from this program while incumbent government has announced relief package of Rs 28 billion to avert the effects of petroleum price increase on the poor.

Shazia Marri said an increase in the prices of petroleum products was although a difficult decision to take but inevitable for saving the country’s ailing economy due to the ineffective policies of the previous government.

On this occasion, Sindh Minster for climate change and coastal development Ismail Rahu said this is the biggest issue that the entire world is facing, and Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. ‘Sindh is most affected by CC in all of Pakistan. We are an agriculture country, but all wildlife, even us humans, depend on water. We are very concerned because of quantity of water as well as quality of water.

“We have made an effort to work on the relevant policies and women were involved in the consultative process. Our CC policy is nearly complete and CM has also approved it.”

Minister also felt that its extremely important to increase public awareness of this issue. “In the last ten years, I’ve seen a lot of growing concern from government officials and civil society. But common man doesn’t understand the threats. It’s always the government’s responsibility to first take up an issue, and make sure that the rest of society is also educated on it. I’m very grateful to Pathfinder for this initiative.”