Let us rededicate ourselves to making Pakistan a prosperous country — PM Imran Khan

A general view of the Metropolitan building illuminated with national flag, ahead of Pakistan's Independence Day in Lahore, Pakistan, on August 13, 2019. (REUTERS/Mohsin Raza)
Updated 13 August 2019
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Let us rededicate ourselves to making Pakistan a prosperous country — PM Imran Khan

Message of Pakistan PM Imran Khan on Pakistan Independence Day 2019

I extend my heartiest felicitations to all Pakistanis, living within the country and abroad, on the occasion of our 73rd Independence Day.

The day reminds us of the unmatched sacrifices rendered by our forefathers to protect and safeguard our religious, cultural and social values. It also reminds us of the objectives that led to creation of an independent Muslim state.

This day reinvigorates our spirit to make Pakistan stand out in the comity of nations as a dignified country. Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah envisioned a progressive Pakistan where one could lead one’s life in accordance with the golden tenets of Islam, a state where democratic norms could flourish and rule of law prevailed, and where compassion characterized the bonds between the state and citizens. To this end, the state of Madinah is our model.

Allah Almighty has bestowed our country with great bounties and huge resources, and a bright future awaits us. Quaid’s principles of unity, faith and discipline are beacons of light to overcome the challenges faced by the country. Let us today rededicate ourselves to making Pakistan a developed and prosperous country. Let me emphasize here the role of overseas Pakistanis, and I am sure they will continue making us proud with their concerted efforts for the greater good of their homeland.

On this occasion, I also pay tribute to those sons of the soil who sacrificed their lives while protecting the ideological and geographical boundaries of the motherland, and kept aloft the banner of its freedom.

While the Independence Day is an occasion to rejoice and celebrate, we feel saddened to see our Kashmiri brethren in Indian-occupied Kashmir being subjected to the worst kind of oppression and ruthless state terrorism. The tyranny unleashed against innocent civilians has crossed all limits in total disregard of the international norms and the values of humanity, and has endangered the peace of the region. Let me reassure our Kashmiri brethren that we stand by them, and Pakistan will continue to provide its political, moral and diplomatic support to their just struggle for self-determination. The recent events in IoK have reinforced the Two-Nation theory envisioned by our forefathers.

May Allah grant us the strength to develop Pakistan on the model of state of Madinah. May Allah grant us the ability to transform Pakistan in accordance with the vision of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal. May Allah help us secure for our country its rightful place among the comity of nations.

Pakistan Paindabad.

 

Ancestors made tremendous sacrifices to achieve freedom

Dr. Arif Alvi, President of Pakistan

I congratulate all Pakistanis on the 73rd anniversary of independence for our homeland. Undoubtedly, freedom is a great blessing and our elders and ancestors made tremendous sacrifices to achieve a free Pakistan. As a result of their struggle, Pakistan emerged as an independent country on the world map on August 14, 1947.

Now it is our responsibility to present Pakistan as a dignified and prosperous country in the comity of nations, and mold this country according to the wishes of the founding leaders of Pakistan: Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Allama Mohammed Iqbal. Nature has bestowed Pakistan with immense resources and a key geostrategic location, hence we all have a duty to build our country.

It is a matter of satisfaction and encouragement for us that the new generation realizes the aims and objectives of the creation of Pakistan, and has a passion for patriotism along with a sincere desire for development.

On this occasion we assure our Kashmiri brethren, who are leading their just independence struggle, of our political, moral and diplomatic support.

The challenges, problems and difficulties that we face in Pakistan today require that we achieve harmony and unity for the achievement of the national goals of development and prosperity, and that all sections of society works for Pakistan beyond their personal and group adherences.

On the occasion of the anniversary of our independence I also extend my sincere tribute to all the officers and young men of the security agencies who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of our freedom.

Independence Day fosters our enthusiasm and patriotism to serve our homeland, and our aspiration for our green flag to fly high in the world. On this day, we renew our commitment to make Pakistan a more prosperous and developed country.

 

Saudi Arabia occupies special place in hearts of Pakistanis

Raja Ali Ejaz,  Ambassador of Pakistan

It gives me immense pleasure to extend congratulations to fellow Pakistanis, living at home and abroad, on the Independence Day of Pakistan. We are indeed happy to celebrate the occasion with our brothers in our second home, Saudi Arabia.

This day provides us with an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the ideals of our Quaid and to the aspirations of Dr. Allama Mohammed Iqbal, who wanted to see the Muslim community flourishing in a separate homeland without any fear of oppression, intolerance, inequality or injustice.

We are proud to have developed into a modern state in the comity of nations through untiring efforts by the people and visionary leadership. Pakistan, a country of 200 million people, is today a progressive Islamic state with an active parliament, independent judiciary, free media and vibrant civil society. The country is endowed with immense natural resources and, above all, highly industrious, enterprising and peace-loving people.

Saudi Arabia is revered and occupies a special place in the hearts of Pakistanis. This is manifested by the outstanding relations between the two countries. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have always stood by each other and the collaboration continues to grow.

We are grateful to Saudi Arabia for the warmth and hospitality it has extended to nearly 2.5 million Pakistanis, the largest overseas Pakistani community.

It is heartening to note the contributions made by our professionals and skilled and unskilled workers in the development of Saudi Arabia for the past many years are well acknowledged. 

I sincerely hope that cooperation in this arena will grow further under the auspices of Saudi Vision 2030. I urge the Pakistani diaspora to continue to work with zeal and uphold the dignity of our great country.

Let us today renew our pledge to make Pakistan the state envisioned by our forefathers and founders. I join my Pakistani brethren in praying that Pakistani-Saudi relations may grow and go from strength to strength for the benefit of Ummah and the people of the two countries.

May Allah bless Pakistan and Saudi Arabia with lasting peace and prosperity in the times ahead.

Long Live Pakistan. Long Live Saudi Arabia. Long Live Pakistani -Saudi friendship.

 

Makkah Route project eased Hajj pilgrims’ journey to KSA

Shahryar Akbar Khan, Consul General of Pakistan

 

I would like to extend my sincere wishes to all the Pakistani fraternity living in Saudi Arabia, on this auspicious occasion of the Independence Day of Pakistan. This day is a reminder of the struggle undertaken by the Muslims of the subcontinent, under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah, for a separate homeland where they could live their lives with freedom and dignity.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share common political, strategic and economic objectives. The relationship between the two countries is unique and deep-rooted in history. The presence of more than 2.5 million Pakistanis in the Kingdom is a source of strength for the friendship between the two countries. They are contributing to the economic development of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. They are acting as a bridge of friendship between the two brotherly countries.

Pakistan also fully supports the Vision 2030 of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Hajj 2019 marked the initiation of Makkah Route project, under Vision 2030. It provided Pakistani pilgrims with the unique opportunity to use a pre-departure immigration facility at Islamabad airport, which simplified their journey to Saudi Arabia. 

We hope that this facility will be extended to more pilgrims and cities in future.

At the end of my official tenure in Jeddah, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my countrymen, the Saudi government and the brotherly people of Saudi Arabia, who have always lent their support and assistance in ensuring my work stay here in Saudi Arabia was smooth.

Working in Jeddah, the gateway of the Two Holy Lands, has been the experience of a lifetime, and I am blessed and honored to be part of this great fraternity who serve the pilgrims visiting Makkah and Madinah Munawarah. It gives me immense satisfaction to say that, during the course of my posting in Jeddah, I have endeavored to further the interests and the well-being of my countrymen during the various engagements and meetings held with scores of Saudi officials at various discourses and arenas.

We Pakistanis have an emotional link with Saudi Arabia and its leadership, who have always reciprocated by heartily facilitating and supporting our requests.

I would like to wish every Pakistani immense success in their endeavors and pray for the peace, progress and prosperity of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Long live Pakistan. Long live Pakistani-Saudi Arabian friendship.

 

Carrying forward the legacy of Pakistan’s founding fathers

Adnan Nasir, principal of PISJ-ES

 In the vast history of Central Asia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in its exclusive sovereignty emerges so miraculously that it perplexes the minds of some apprehensive forces and lights the candle of hope for true freedom fighters across the globe. 

Aug. 14 marks the birth anniversary of Pakistan. It re-stimulates a sense of bravery and courage, aspirations and steadfastness, struggle and ownership of our ancestors to acquire an independent piece of land, a place that we proudly call home. 

Born from the ideology of Islam, its existence does not endorse prejudices, racism and feelings of superiority at any level; but sincerely propagates the principles of equality, human rights, tolerance and empathy, in quest of the global peace and harmony. 

For more than seven decades, Pakistan, with its social and religious values, mutual congeniality, profound ethics and rich cultural diversity, has been a heaven for minorities, a sanctuary for the majority and a bastion of faith.

In the same context, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah said in his historic address to the Constituent Assembly on Aug. 11, 1947: “We are members of the brotherhood of Islam in which all are equal in rights, dignity and self-respect. Consequently, we have a special and a very deep sense of unity. You may belong to any religion, caste or creed — that has nothing to do with the business of the state. With faith, discipline and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.”

Carrying forward the legacy of our predecessors, the prevalent conditions worldwide in general and Pakistan in particular demand that we make serious efforts to work toward the progress and prosperity of human race at large. 

Alongside the advancement in science and technology, trade and commerce, now is the time to stir in ourselves the attributes of kindness and compassion, while keeping our integrity and not being judgmental.

Being the true heirs of our homeland and real architects of this country, our youths and students must pay attention to education and work toward realizing the dreams of our ancestors while celebrating their achievements. 

Today is the day to renew our pledge to fulfill our responsibilities with full sincerity and cause a ripple effect of positive change by setting examples of excellence. 

On this special day, while extending my heartfelt felicitation to all Pakistanis across the globe, I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their commitment to keeping the bond of our Pakistani-Saudi relationship strong. 

May Allah Almighty enable us to protect both the countries and guide us to work toward their progress and prosperity.

 

Time to work hard to make Pakistan invincible

Aamir Shahzad,, SMC Chairman, PISJ-Azizia:

We are proud to be Pakistanis. Let every one of us pledge on this Independence Day to make our country the most competent in the foreseeable future. This day reminds us of the sacrifices made for the creation of Pakistan.

Aug. 14 commemorates the formation of Pakistan, and, we at Pakistan International School Jeddah in Azizia (PISJ-Azizia) celebrate the 72 years of independence with great enthusiasm. 

We relish the spirit of the day by thanking Almighty Allah for blessing us with an independent state in which we can spend our lives according to our own culture and Islamic principles.

We are also proud of our forefathers who fought for this day. They sacrificed their lives for the great mission of achieving independence from the British rule and it is now time to work hard to make it stronger and invincible.

PISJ-Azizia is a prodigious institute established half a century ago. Under the supervision of the Saudi Ministry of Education and the Pakistani Embassy, I have been given the responsibility as the chairman of the School Management Committee (SMC) and I want to say that the aim of the members of our committee is only to further the interests of this institute and the Pakistani community. 

With another year of excellent results, PISJ-Azizia continues its tradition of progress and development on the academic front.

All students passed the matriculation and intermediate examinations with flying colors under the Federal Board of Education (FBISE) Pakistan. Congratulations to our students and teachers. Together, they have set new standards with an excellent results, inching another step closer to their personal and professional development. 

The students in this institute are our future and the SMC aims to prepare students for practical challenges in life and to become an effective part of society. 

To the SMC members, principal of the school, Pakistani Embassy staff, students, and the Pakistani community living in the Kingdom, I wish you all a happy and blessed Independence Day. 

 

 


AI’s relentless rise gives journalists tough choices

Updated 20 April 2024
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AI’s relentless rise gives journalists tough choices

  • AI tools imitating human intelligence are used to transcribe sound files, summarize texts and translate
  • Columbia University teacher says collaborating with AI “tempting” in the face of increasingly right media resources

PERUGIA, Italy: The rise of artificial intelligence has forced an increasing number of journalists to grapple with the ethical and editorial challenges posed by the rapidly expanding technology.

AI’s role in assisting newsrooms or transforming them completely was among the questions raised at the International Journalism Festival in the Italian city of Perugia that closes on Sunday.

AI tools imitating human intelligence are widely used in newsrooms around the world to transcribe sound files, summarize texts and translate.

In early 2023, Germany’s Axel Springer group announced it was cutting jobs at the Bild and Die Welt newspapers, saying AI could now “replace” some of its journalists.

Generative AI — capable of producing text and images following a simple request in everyday language — has been opening new frontiers as well as raising concerns for a year and a half.

One issue is that voices and faces can now be cloned to produce a podcast or present news on television. Last year, Filipino website Rappler created a brand aimed at young audiences by converting its long articles into comics, graphics and even videos.

Media professionals agree that their trade must now focus on tasks offering the greatest “added value.”

“You’re the one who is doing the real stuff” and “the tools that we produce will be an assistant to you,” Google News general manager Shailesh Prakash told the festival in Perugia.

The costs of generative AI have plummeted since ChatGPT burst onto the scene in late 2022, with the tool designed by US start-up OpenAI now accessible to smaller newsrooms.

Colombian investigative outlet Cuestion Publica has harnessed engineers to develop a tool that can delve into its archives and find relevant background information in the event of breaking news.

But many media organizations are not making their language models, which are at the core of AI interfaces, said University of Amsterdam professor Natali Helberger. They are needed for “safe and trustworthy technology,” he stressed.

According to one estimate last year by Everypixel Journal, AI has created as many images in one year as photography in 150 years.

That has raised serious questions about how news can be fished out of the tidal wave of content, including deepfakes.

Media and tech organizations are teaming up to tackle the threat, notably through the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity, which seeks to set common standards.

“The core of our job is news gathering, on-the-ground reporting,” said Sophie Huet, recently appointed to become global news director for editorial innovation and artificial intelligence at Agence France-Presse.

“We’ll rely for a while on human reporters,” she added, although that might be with the help of artificial intelligence.

Media rights watchdog Reporters Without Borders, which has expanded its media rights brief to defending trustworthy news, launched the Paris Charter on AI and journalism late last year.

“One of the things I really liked about the Paris Charter was the emphasis on transparency,” said Anya Schiffrin, a lecturer on global media, innovation and human rights at Columbia University in the United States.

“To what extent will publishers have to disclose when they are using generative IA?“

Olle Zachrison, head of AI and news strategy at public broadcaster Swedish Radio, said there was “a serious debate going on: should you mark out AI content or should people trust your brand?“

Regulation remains in its infancy in the face of a constantly evolving technology.

In March, the European Parliament adopted a framework law aiming to regulate AI models without holding back innovation, while guidelines and charters are increasingly common in newsrooms.

AI editorial guidelines are updated every three months at India’s Quintillion Media, said its boss Ritu Kapur.

None of the organization’s articles can be written by AI and the images it generates cannot represent real life.

AI models feed off data, but their thirst for the vital commodity has raised hackles among providers.
In December, the New York Times sued OpenAI and its main investor Microsoft for violation of copyright.

In contrast, other media organizations have struck deals with OpenAI: Axel Springer, US news agency AP, French daily Le Monde and Spanish group Prisa Media whose titles include El Pais and AS newspapers.

With resources tight in the media industry, collaborating with the new technology is tempting, explained Emily Bell, a professor at Columbia University’s journalism school.

She senses a growing external pressure to “Get on board, don’t miss the train.”


Fighting flares at Myanmar-Thai border as rebels target stranded junta troops

Updated 20 April 2024
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Fighting flares at Myanmar-Thai border as rebels target stranded junta troops

  • Resistance fighters and ethnic minority rebels seized the key trading town of Myawaddy on the Myanmar side of the frontier on April 11

Fighting raged at Myanmar’s eastern frontier with Thailand on Saturday, witnesses, media and Thailand’s government said, forcing about 200 civilians to flee as rebels pressed to flush out junta troops holed up for days at a bridge border crossing.
Resistance fighters and ethnic minority rebels seized the key trading town of Myawaddy on the Myanmar side of the frontier on April 11, dealing a big blow to a well-equipped military that is struggling to govern and is now facing a critical test of its battlefield credibility.
Three witnesses on the Thai and Myanmar sides of the border said they heard explosions and heavy machine gun fire near a strategic bridge from late on Friday that continued into early Saturday.
Several Thai media outlets said about 200 people had crossed the border to seek temporary refuge in Thailand.
Thai broadcaster NBT in a post on social media platform X said resistance forces used 40-milimeter machine guns and dropped 20 bombs from drones to target an estimated 200 junta soldiers who had retreated from a coordinated rebel assault on Myawaddy and army posts since April 5.
Reuters could not immediately verify the reports and a Myanmar junta spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment.
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said he was closely monitoring the unrest and his country was ready to provide humanitarian assistance if necessary.
“I do not desire to see any such clashes have any impact on the territorial integrity of Thailand and we are ready to protect our borders and the safety of our people,” he said on X. He made no mention of refugees.
BIG SETBACK
Myanmar’s military is facing its biggest challenge since first taking control of the former British colony in 1962, caught up in multiple, low-intensity conflicts and grappling to stabilize an economy that has crumbled since a 2021 coup against Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s government.
The country is locked in a civil war between the military on one side and, on the other, a loose alliance of established ethnic minority armies and a resistance movement born out of the junta’s bloody crackdown on anti-coup protests.
The capture of Myawaddy and surrounding army outposts is a significant setback for a junta that has been squeezed by Western sanctions, with the town a key tax revenue source and conduit for more than $1 billion of annual border trade.
The Khaosod newspaper in a post on X showed a video of Myanmar civilians, many of them women and children, being marshalled by Thai soldiers at an entry point to Thailand.
Thailand had on Friday said no refugees had entered the country and it was discussing with aid agencies about increasing humanitarian relief to civilians on the Myanmar side.


Taiwan’s defense ministry detects 21 Chinese military aircraft

Updated 20 April 2024
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Taiwan’s defense ministry detects 21 Chinese military aircraft

  • The median line bisects the Taiwan Strait, a narrow 180-kilometer waterway separating the island from mainland China

TAIPEI: Taipei’s defense ministry said it had detected 21 Chinese military aircraft around the self-ruled island since 8:15 am (0015 GMT) on Saturday, a month before Taiwan’s May 20 inauguration of incoming president Lai Ching-te.
“17 aircraft (of the 21) crossed the median line and its extension, entered our northern, central, and southwestern (air defense identification zone), and joined PLA vessels for joint combat patrol,” it said in a statement posted on X around 11:30 am.
Taiwan’s armed forces “are monitoring the activities with our joint surveillance systems, and have dispatched appropriate assets to respond accordingly.”
The median line bisects the Taiwan Strait, a narrow 180-kilometer waterway separating the island from mainland China.
Beijing does not recognize the line as it claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory. It has also never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.
China sends warplanes and naval vessels around Taiwan on a near daily basis — a move experts say is a form of “grey-zone harassment,” stopping short of an outright act of war but enough to exhaust Taipei’s armed forces.
According to the defense ministry, the 21 aerial objects detected Saturday included J-16 fighter jets and Y-8 medium-range transport aircraft, as well as drones.
The highest number around Taiwan so far this year was in March, when the ministry said 36 Chinese aircraft were detected in a single 24-hour period.
Last year’s record was in September when Beijing’s military sent 103 aircraft — 40 of which crossed the median line — in a 24-hour period.
Saturday’s show of force comes a day after China activated two aviation routes that run close to Taiwan’s outlying islands of Kinmen and Matsu.
Taipei’s Civil Aviation Administration expressed “solemn protest against China’s unilateral measures without consultation” on Friday.
The new routes make the airspace separation between the two sides “very narrow,” it said, increasing flight safety risks during bad weather or abnormal flight operations.
China’s aviation authority also said Friday the airspace around Fuzhou Changle Airport — 30 kilometers from the closest outlying Taiwanese island — would be “further optimized and adjusted” on May 16, four days before the inauguration.
Under the administration of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, tensions between Beijing and Taipei have ramped up, as she and her government do not acknowledge China’s claim.
Her deputy, Vice President Lai, won elections in January despite warnings from Beijing that he would be the cause of “war and decline” for Taiwan.
China regards Lai — who used to be outspoken about Taiwan independence — as a “dangerous separatist,” though he has moderated his views in recent years.


Hundreds of people evacuated as volcano spews clouds of ash in Indonesia

Updated 20 April 2024
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Hundreds of people evacuated as volcano spews clouds of ash in Indonesia

  • Local authorities combed the villages surrounding the volcano and evacuated residents to safer areas by boat
  • Officials worry that part of the volcano could collapse into the sea and cause a tsunami, as happened in an eruption there in 1871

MANADO, Indonesia: More than 2,100 people living near an erupting volcano on Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island were evacuated Friday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami.
Indonesia’s Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation recorded at least three eruptions since Friday afternoon, with the maximum height of the eruption column reaching 1,200 meters (3,900 feet).
An international airport in Manado city, less than 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the erupting Mount Ruang, is still temporarily closed as volcanic ash was spewed into the air.

This photo provided by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency shows a part of a village on Tagulandang island covered by ash from eruptions of Mount Ruang on April 19, 2024. (National Search and Rescue Agency via AP)

Satellite imagery from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency shows the ash has spread to the west, northwest, northeast and southeast, covering Manado and North Minahasa, according to a statement from Indonesia’s Transportation Ministry.
“We are still monitoring developments in the eruption of Mount Ruang and coordinating with relevant stakeholders … to anticipate the necessary actions to ensure flight safety, security and comfort,” said Ambar Suryoko, head of the regional airport authority.
More than 11,000 people were told to leave their homes that were located in the affected area. A joint team from the local authorities combed the villages surrounding the volcano and evacuated residents to safer areas by boat.
Officials worry that part of the volcano could collapse into the sea and cause a tsunami, as happened in an eruption there in 1871.
Houses, roads and other buildings were covered by gray volcanic ash, and many roofs were broken by debris spewed from the eruption.

Mount Ruang saw at least five large eruptions Wednesday, causing the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation to issue its highest level of alert. People were ordered to stay at least 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the 725-meter (2,378-foot) mountain.
The observation from the agency on Friday said white smoke was rising from the main crater with medium to thick intensity.
East of the volcano, Tagulandang Island could be at risk if a collapse occurred. Its residents were among those being told to evacuate. Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency said residents would be relocated to Manado, a journey of 6 hours by boat.
Indonesia, an archipelago of 270 million people, has 120 active volcanoes. It is prone to volcanic activity because it sits along the “Ring of Fire,” a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean.
 


Finance firms urge ambitious action on plastic pollution

Updated 19 April 2024
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Finance firms urge ambitious action on plastic pollution

  • Curtailing the estimated 400 million metric tonnes of waste produced every year is a crucial part of efforts to protect biodiversity, with microplastics found everywhere from the mountainous Himalayas to staple foods and even human blood

LONDON: A group of 160 financial companies on Friday urged governments to agree a treaty to end plastic pollution that would help spur private sector action, ahead of the next round of global talks in Canada.
The fourth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-4) is due to be held in Ottawa next week to lay the groundwork for an eventual deal before the end of the year.
Curtailing the estimated 400 million metric tonnes of waste produced every year is a crucial part of efforts to protect biodiversity, with microplastics found everywhere from the mountainous Himalayas to staple foods and even human blood.
To help fix the problem, the finance firms, which include Britain’s biggest investor Legal & General Investment Management and Canadian pension investor CDPQ, called for a policy framework backed up by binding rules.
Among specific steps, the group called for the treaty to set an objective for all public and private finance to be consistent with the goal of eliminating plastic pollution, similar to that in the Paris climate agreement and the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework.
It also called for companies to assess and disclose plastic-related risks and opportunities; clearer plastic-related policies and targets from governments in areas like waste creating and recycling; and for further private investment to be directed to ending plastic pollution.
“A clear transition pathway laid out in the Treaty will help leverage finance at scale for this massive task of ending plastic pollution worldwide,” said Anne-Sophie Castelnau, global head of sustainability at ING, one of the signatories.
Steve Hardman, CEO of Plastic Collective, an NGO which designed the world’s first plastic waste reduction bond alongside Citi and the World Bank, welcomed the support but called for business to provide more financial solutions.
In January, the World Bank issued the $100 million bond to finance plastic-reduction projects in Ghana and Indonesia. Investors will be paid a rate linked to plastic removal credits generated by the projects.