18 September 2012
Thatta: World Wide Fund for Nature – Pakistan (WWF - P) under its Building Capacity on Climate Change Adaptation in Coastal Areas of Pakistan (CCAP) project organized World Ozone Day at Makli gymkhana in Thatta. The event was attended by government officials, academia, NGOs’ representatives, civil society members, students and media persons.
Speaking on the occasion, chief guest of the event Dr. Ali Murtaza Dharejo, Principal MKJ Institute for Science and Technology, Mirpurkhas highlighted the implication of use of CFCs, which is major cause of destruction of ozone layer. He stressed the need to go for CFC free home appliances. He said that ozone play vital role in protection of life on earth; hence its protection is vital. He said that the ozone layer absorbs most of the harmful ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation from the sun. He said that harmful radiation is major cause of fatal diseases like skin cancers, eye cataracts, less yield from plants, less productivity from oceans. He said that an increase in greenhouse gases contributes to climate change in the form of increased temperatures and a rise in sea level.
Nasir Ali Panhwar Executive Director, Centre for Environment & Development showed the time line of ozone layer i.e. when was the thinning identified, years of discovery of different gases and different years when the treaties were signed to protect the ozone layer. He also identified the importance of ozone layer for the world and how it impacts the climate. People in developed countries are already aware of this problem; we have to create awareness in Pakistan so that we can also play a part in preserving the ozone layer. People love using technologies, cars, etc which are all luxuries and help to save time. Eventually, in the long run these luxuries have a negative impact on the ozone layer. All this affects the climate which in turn has an impact on the human life. He gave the examples of continuous floods. He added that implementation of the Vienna Convention has led to a dramatic drop in the consumption of ozone depleting chemicals in the last ten years. Scientists predict that the ozone layer will begin to recover in a few years and will be fully restored by the year 2050.
Ghulam Mustafa Mirani, Joint Secretary Friends of Indus Forum said that due to bad policies of developed countries developing countries are affected by global warming and climate change. However, he regretted that forest coverage has declined at alarming rate, which is essential for healthy environment and economy. He said that developed countries must pay the cost to the poor countries to cope with climate change affects.
While giving briefing about project Tahir Abbasi said that by the end of this year we will be through with research and next year onwards ground interventions will start. On regular basis we are meeting the communities of Keti Bunder and Kharo Chan to analysis their needs and most of these will be catered in second half of the project.
Sassi Memon, Project Officer CCAP Project said that climate change is relatively a new term in Pakistan and many people are still not clear about it. She further said that due to climate change we are observing an erratic shift in the rainfall patterns, increased floods, increased heat, change in tidal patterns, rise in sea level, sea intrusion, etc. WWF in collaboration with our stakeholders aims to improve the living standard of these communities by providing them with alternate sources of livelihood which include drip irrigation, pitcher irrgation, vocational trainings, crab ponds and crab fattening.
Students from Makhdoom Muhammad Hashim Thattwi School took part in a tableaus and highlighted the importance of ozone layer.
|
|||
|
