Senator Faisal Javed makes a speech at the European Parliament.

Pakistan has given huge sacrifices for the World’s peace – for the World’s environment – for Environment of Peace. Senator Faisal Javed makes a speech at the European Parliament.

Pakistan Senate delegation makes it to the European Parliament to attend a two days ASEP 10. The Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP) is the parliamentary extension of the Asian-European political dialogue, an effort to enhance relations between Europe and Asia.

MEPs and MPs from EU member states, 18 Asian countries are debating the environmental challenges that Asia and Europe are facing: sustainable development and the circular economy.

In this regard, a three member delegation of parliamentarians from Senate of Pakistan comprising of Senator Faisal Javed, Senator Muhammad Shafiq Tareen and Senator Najma Hameed came here to participate in 10thAsia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP10) hosted by European Parliament.

Senator Faisal Javed who happens to be a member of the Standing committee on Climate Change made a speech at the EU Parliament in the thematic session pertaining to Climate Change and It’s impact on Economy.

Text of Senator Faisal Javed’s speech

Glad to be part of this 10th Asia Europe Parliamentary Partnership meeting (ASEP10). A great learning as together we can fight against climate change to make this world a better place to live for generations to come.

Pakistan has given huge sacrifices for the world peace, for world’s environment, and of-course Environment for peace. As we say that great leaders, don’t focus on future elections, they focus on future generations. Here is an example from Pakistan – under the leadership of Imran Khan, Pakistan has become the first country to meet the International Bonn Challenge – where we restored over 350,000 hectors land into forests – planted over a billion trees, provided over 13,000 private tree nurseries boosted local incomes as it created over 500,000 green jobs.

Acknowledged by IUCN where they had given the world a challenge of restoring 150 million hectares of land into forests by 2020 and 350 million hectares of land by 2030. Pakistan was the first to meet the this very challenge that it took of restoring 350,000 hectares. Also audited by World-wild Life Fund (WWF) an independent audit that declared that this project as environmental, economic and social success. Also acknowledged by World Economic Forum. And the next plan by the Government of Pakistan is to plant over 10 Billion trees across Pakistan. In this regard on the inaugural day of this campaign we planted 1.5 million trees. So we do hope that within the next 5 years we will be able to plant over 10 Billion trees across Pakistan. Our focus is on Green Energy, clean water, green jobs and efficient use of resources as we do know the fact that there is a huge challenge where requirement of having 25% of forest land we stand at 2.5% of the total forest land in Pakistan.

Together we can, and together we must, combat climat change from this forum we take back great learnings as we share ideas and we do see some great deal of seriousness among all of us in terms of addressing this great challenge.

I wish you all the best. Thank you very much for having us here and listening to us as I shared an example of how the political will and commitment ensured achieving a huge milestone and taking up yet another challenge of planting 10 Billion trees in Pakistan.

The chair thanked senator Faisal Javed from Pakistan and said the ASEP10 takes a lot of encouragement from what is said here.