Amount of waste dangerously increasing: Ambassador Jakob Linulf

Celina Ali

Islamabad: Denmark’s Ambassador to Pakistan Jakob Linulf this week warned that the amount of waste was dangerously increasing.

“Amount of waste we generate is increasing & poor waste management affects environment & climate change! Despite complexity, organizations in Pakistan are taking steps for change. Our embassy visited @PMSPakistan to learn about circular economy & waste management. Very inspiring work!,” he tweeted.

Earlier, Federal Minister for Climate Change, Senator Sherry Rehman said the total mass of plastic waste generated in Pakistan was equal to the size of two K-2 mountains.

Senator Rehman said that Pakistan was one of the top 10 countries affected by environmental degradation. “33 million people in the country were affected by the floods. We have never seen such a huge destruction caused by climate change,” she added.

The Minister said that Pakistan’s major stakeholders would have to be involved in controlling waste management. Another challenge, she said the country is facing is its dwindling water reserves.

“We have a system of rivers which is the lifeline of Pakistan. Natural calamity floods have badly affected the economy of Pakistan with a loss of its 9 percent GDP.” Unmanaged waste, she said is a major problem in Pakistan, whereas the Ministry has worked to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Ministry of Climate Change had launched the Living Indus Initiative, Sherry Rehman said.