ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday called on the international community to join hands and strive to be “ecologically more conscious” as Pakistan joins the world in commemorating Earth Day today. 

Earth Day is an annual celebration on April 22 that honors the achievements of environmental movements and raises awareness of the need to protect Earth’s natural resources for future generations. The day serves as a platform to highlight various environmental issues, such as climate change, pollution, deforestation, and conservation of natural resources.

In a message on social media platform X, Sharif said Earth Day reminds the world of its shared responsibility to protect the planet. 

“Let us strive to be ecologically more conscious in our endeavors and fostering a greener approach in our daily life,” he wrote. “Let us resolve to reduce our carbon and environmental footprint.”

Pakistan produces less than one percent of the world’s carbon footprint but, according to the Global Climate Risk Index, has lost nearly ten thousand lives and suffered economic losses worth $3.8 billion due to climate change throughout the years 1999 to 2018.

The country is also ranked consistently among the world’s worst-affected countries due to climate change. Pakistan witnessed one of the deadliest monsoon floods in June 2022, blamed on climate change, which killed more than 1,700 people, affected nearly 33 million and caused over $30 million losses.

In recent years, Pakistan has also experienced frequent forest fires in its northwestern and southwestern regions.

Sharif’s message came as the South Asian country reels from heavy rains in its northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and southwestern Balochsitan provinces and Punjab. Lightning strikes, heavy rains and floods in the three provinces have killed more than 90 people since April 12.