For the next three days, Prime Minister Imran Khan will be in Saudi Arabia to attend the launching ceremony of the ‘Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) Summit’ being held in Riyadh. This visit is on the behalf of the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Prime Minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and other members of the cabinet.
It is heartening to see a growing number of influential international initiatives to discuss global efforts to preserve the well-being of the planet. The past two years have awoken a lot of countries and international organisations to the importance of implementing environment-friendly policies. As the vast majority of scientists and the United Nations warns the world of the urgency for swift action, and the pandemic shed light on the importance of global efforts to combat problems, the need for countries to prioritise the environment over profits is clearer than ever, and fortunately, it is reflecting in discussions on international platforms.
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The MGI Summit is the first of its kind summit being held in the Middle East region and reflects a growing awareness in the region. The summit has promise for conducive discussions and a good role for Pakistan to play. Pakistan has taken a number of initiatives to combat climate change, foremost among them is the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme, ban on plastic bags, and formulating system-based adaptation solutions such as Recharge Pakistan to build resilience and reduce vulnerability. However, as the smog crisis gets worse with every passing year, it must be acknowledged that the side-effects of climate change can not be combatted unless there is more cooperation with other countries in the region. The MGI offers a stage for climate diplomacy and could lead an unprecedented regional alliance based on climate change in the region—the Pakistani delegation must utilise it with these goals in mind.
