India has called for collaboration and regional cooperation in South Asia to address the growing air pollution crisis, following a proposal from Pakistan’s Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for diplomatic engagement with India on the matter.
In response to the chief minister’s announcement, India’s Minister of State for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Kirti Vardhan Singh, emphasized the necessity of a regional alliance to combat air pollution, particularly as cities like Lahore and New Delhi continue to experience hazardous air quality levels, according to reports by The Citizenry.
India has proposed reviving the SAARC Malé Declaration on Control and Prevention of Air Pollution while submitting its updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) at the UN biodiversity conference (COP16) in Cali, Colombia. At a key side event in the Blue Zone, designated for negotiations and dialogues among member countries and accredited observers, Singh stated, “Since climate change does not recognize any national or political boundaries, we need an inclusive and collective approach that involves all governments.”
It’s noteworthy that India is the second SAARC country, after Afghanistan, to submit its updated NBSAP. The plan highlights achievements such as “planting 98 million trees” and “efforts to conserve and restore India’s coastline.” Meanwhile, China and other Asian nations submitted their updated plans ahead of COP16.
Pakistan’s representation at the conference was limited to a single official delegate, Naeem Ashraf Raja, the director of the Biodiversity Programme at the Ministry of Climate Change, and the country did not submit any updated biodiversity plans.
Singh also stressed the importance of integrating biodiversity conservation into broader environmental and developmental strategies to tackle climate change, mitigate land degradation, and promote sustainable livelihoods.
Amid this air quality crisis, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced plans to engage with neighboring India, stating at a recent event, “Winds don’t recognize borders.” Earlier this week, the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) declared smog a calamity under Section 3 of the Punjab Calamities Act, 1958.
The CBD COP16, recognized as a critical event for biodiversity conservation, continues in Cali until November 1, aiming to protect ecosystems and enhance global environmental policies.
