A Green Revolution Blooming in Unexpected Pakistan

By Farriya M. Thalho

September 2018; The Islamic Republic of Pakistan celebrates its newly democratically elected leader — Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi, founder of the political party: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). PTI won majority seats in the provincial elections of the northern province of KPK and his success in the province helped pave the road to his win in the national elections in 2018. One of Khan’s key points while running was dealing with the climate crisis, which was also mentioned in his first speech to the nation as the Prime Minister.

To celebrate his victory, the PM encouraged planting trees to meet the hefty goal of the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami aka Plant for Pakistan, which he launched as a continuation to another campaign that his party was already doing in northern Pakistan — 1 Billion Tree Tsunami. This wasn’t only launched on election day but on August 14th as well, Pakistan’s Independence Day. Massive media campaigns went into effect; the PM, ministers, and other government officials were photographed planting trees across the nation. Pakistani social media blew up with hashtags and challenges in support of Naya Pakistan (New Pakistan). Celebrities, influencers, activists, and even brands started participating in this growing trend. A popular Pakistani clothing company, Sapphire, launched a biodegradable bag made with seeds, as the week of August 14 approached. After receiving the package, the bags could be shredded and planted afterward. Sapphire wasn’t the only one following suit for a newer, greener Pakistan, many other companies did come out with similar schemes and since then have rebranded themselves as eco-brands.

The government has launched several other Clean-Green Pakistan initiatives since 2018, making the country reach its UN Climate Action goal 10 years ahead of the deadline. The nation of 220 million citizens has recently banned the transportation of oil outside of Balochistan, Pakistan’s biggest province, which is known for its immense natural resources. Oil has been transported to China, Iran, and other parts of the country from Balochistan but as Pakistan’s crackdown and new legislation has created ways to stop the reliance on fossil fuels, local governments and companies have had to start relying on cleaner sources of energy. Many companies have since shut down or became down-sized. The ban will fully take place as soon as Balochistan creates enough jobs to replace the ones currently in the fossil fuel industry, making sure that millions of people don’t lose their source of income.

In 2017, the Senate passed the Climate Change Act that established the Pakistan Climate Change Council which is headed by the Prime Minister. They oversee all policies, cases, etc regarding the climate crisis and how the government is handling it.

The government on all levels: National, Provincial and local are in parts are working together in helping create a Naya Pakistan.

For example, KPK’s provincial government is funding projects in accordance with Clean-Green Pakistan. One such project is called The Green Rickshaw, funded entirely by the Directorate of Sciences and Technology. Rickshaws are a vital transportation source in southern parts of Asia and contribute significantly to Pakistan’s carbon emission, even though the country as a whole does not contribute significantly to global carbon emissions. This program funded young engineers in Peshawar to create solar-powered rickshaws, with the intention of them being released to the public.

In the past few years, the Pakistani government and the public have seen the result of climate change firsthand in the country.

Farriya M. Thalho is a member of the Earth Uprising Communications Team Member

Contact: Farriya@earthuprising.org

Earth Uprising is a global, youth-led non-profit organization focused on climate education, climate advocacy, and youth mobilization. Through its strong network of activists from all around the world, partnerships with groups, and local, national, and international campaigns and actions, it aims to bring attention to and spur action based on the latest science regarding the climate crisis. Earth Uprising provides the tools, resources, and connections young people need in order to take direct action in their own communities. Learn more at earthuprising.org and instagram.com/earth_uprising

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