BAKU (TDI): highlighting glaciers as lifeline for survival of mankind on the planet, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for taking urgent global action and coordinated efforts to prevent melting of glaciers.
Addressing a high-level event of Glaciers 2025; Actions for Glaciers’ hosted by Tajik President Emamoli Rahmon, the prime minister called upon all the countries to unit in the efforts of protecting glaciers from pollution and snow melt by taking concrete and decisive actions to secure the future of glaciers as well as protect the mankind.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan stands ready to work with the international community to protect these invaluable natural resources of glaciers.
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He said Glacier 2025 initiative provides a unique opportunity to address the issue of melting glaciers, saying glaciers are critical for global climate and water security.
Sharif said that glaciers hold seventy percent of fresh water and protecting vital ecosystem.
Talking about Pakistan, he said that Pakistan is home of over seven thousand glaciers which provides sixty to eighty percent of the Indus river flow and supporting ninety percent of agriculture serving over 200 million people.
He alarmed a bout melting of the glaciers adding that it is due to the rising temperatures and the consequences of these changes were glaringly visible.
He shared that accelerated glacial melt had led to the formation of more than 3,000 glacial lakes in the Northern Areas of Pakistan which were posing great threat.
Out of these, he said, about 33 lakes were estimated at the risk of outburst flooding, putting lives of over 7million people in danger. “It demands urgent action”
According to APP, he also emphasized upon the regional collaboration which he said was a key to many of the actions needed to keep these life sources safe from pollution and snow melt.
The prime minister said Pakistan being the most affected country, required enhanced support to monitoring glacier health and early warning systems, adopt climate-resilient agriculture practices and invest in alternative water solutions.
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The prime minister also appreciated Tajik President for hosting the most important meeting attended by experts, scientists, world leaders and politicians, who would provide valuable contributions as to how to counter the fast-melting glaciers around the globe.
“Let this be our legacy, when the glaciers thrive, the humanity flourishes,” he stressed.
