Clean-up & recycling campaign: DiploGreen initiative launched by seven foreign missions

Seven foreign missions have joined hands to raise environmental awareness while maintaining a clean and green Diplomatic Enclave in the federal capital under DiploGreen initiative. Launched on Wednesday, the initiative is being led by the Islamabad-based missions of Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, the UK and the United States.
DiploGreen's launch event - a clean-up and recycling campaign - also supports Islamabad's plastic-free campaign, recently announced by the Ministry of Climate Change.
A large number of members of the diplomatic community took part in the campaign practically by cleaning up the roads around Canadian High Commission followed by post-launching speeches by Canadian High Commissioner to Pakistan Wendy Gilmour and Prime Minister's Adviser on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam.
Speaking on the occasion, Aslam pointed out that Pakistan uses an alarming number of 55 billion plastic bags annually. He said that the ban on plastic bags would also be replicated to provinces after its successful launch in Islamabad.
He said that Sindh has already announced that the ban will be applicable from October, Punjab has tabled the legislation in the provincial assembly and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is already doing it, while Balochistan will also announce the ban on plastic bags very soon.
The adviser said that the government is also considering electric-vehicle policy which is aimed at shifting 30 percent of transportation on cleaner energy by 2030. He said that the policy will be tabled in the next cabinet meeting for approval.
He mentioned that another initiative, 'Clean Green Index' programme, would be launched next month by the Prime Minister. He said that the programme would be targeting 20 main cities of the country for competition on maintaining the level of cleanliness and the idea is to change the behaviour of the public. He said that around 20 to 30 green kiosks would be set up in the federal capital, offering facility of free-of-charge retail outlet for household women to sell their handmade fabric bags.
The adviser further stated that the government is targeting plantation of 10 billion trees under ecosystem restoration system as a contribution to the world's requirement of one trillion trees to counter climate change. He also appreciated the embassies for launching DiploGreen initiative, terming it a significant step in creating a healthier environment.
Speaking on the occasion, the Canadian High Commissioner Wendy Gilmour said that the initiative has been launched in collaboration with the embassies/high commissions of France, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, the UK and the US.
"Our goal is to raise awareness about the environment. Today, the diplomatic community came together to clean and recycle our way to a healthier environment for us all. We are all impacted by environmental issues. It is imperative that we continue to work together across geographic and political boundaries to protect our natural surroundings," she added.
As a first effort under DiploGreen initiative, employees and volunteers from all the seven foreign missions joined by numerous other representatives from the diplomatic community, led a two-hour recycling drive and clean-up across the Diplomatic Enclave in the morning.
The gathering also gave participating diplomatic missions as well as businesses and organisations engaged with the diplomatic community an opportunity to discuss their respective sustainability pledges in favour of a healthier environment.
Under these pledges, new environmental measures may include banning single-use plastic, starting a recycling programme, committing to reduce energy or water usage, or supporting awareness campaigns.
As an extension of France's sustainable development programme currently implemented in Pakistan, the French embassy has started early this year to reduce its own environmental impact in the country first by banning the single use plastic utensils in the events it is organising.