India, Nov 1 (Alliance News): In response to Pakistan’s Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s recent suggestion for diplomatic engagement on air pollution, India has emphasized the need for regional collaboration to address the worsening air quality crisis in South Asia.
India’s Minister of State for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Kirti Vardhan Singh, underscored the significance of a united approach to combat air pollution, especially as cities like Lahore and New Delhi face dangerously high pollution levels, according to The Citizenry.
As part of its commitment to addressing these environmental challenges, India has called for the revival of the SAARC Malé Declaration on Control and Prevention of Air Pollution.
This announcement coincided with India’s submission of its updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) at the UN biodiversity conference (COP16) in Cali, Colombia.
During a significant side event at the conference, Singh stated, “Since climate change does not recognize any national or political boundaries, we need an inclusive and collective approach that involves all governments.”
India has become the second SAARC nation, following Afghanistan, to submit its updated NBSAP.
The updated plan highlights achievements such as planting 98 million trees and initiatives to conserve and restore India’s coastline.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s representation at the conference was limited to one official delegate, Naeem Ashraf Raja, who did not submit an updated biodiversity plan.
Singh also stressed that biodiversity conservation should be integrated into broader environmental and developmental strategies to effectively combat climate change and promote sustainable livelihoods.
The air quality crisis has already prompted action in Pakistan, where Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced plans for collaboration with India, stating, “Winds don’t recognize borders.”
Earlier this week, the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority declared smog a calamity under the Punjab Calamities Act, 1958.
The CBD COP16, recognized as a key event for biodiversity conservation, continues in Cali until November 1, aiming to protect ecosystems and strengthen global environmental policies.
