ISLAMABAD: The British High Commission in Islamabad marked World Environment Day yesterday by launching a number of initiatives to make its operations in Pakistan more environmentally-friendly. 

The initiatives include the planting of 80 new trees in the British Residential Compound in the Diplomatic Enclave, production of special recycling bins which will be placed in the residential compound and at a Capital Development Authority waste collection point, installation of time lighting sensors that reduce electricity usage in the offices and banning of avoidable single use plastics from all of its buildings. World Environment Day is marked on 5th of June every year and is organized around a theme that focuses on a pressing environmental concern.

The theme for 2018, “Beat Plastic Pollution,” is a call to action for the world to come together to combat one of the great environmental challenges of our time. In Pakistan alone, 55 million plastic bags are used every year that lead to many negative environmental and health effects.

The Acting British High Commissioner Richard Crowder said: “On this World Environment Day, the British High Commission is taking a number of steps that will reduce our carbon footprint and lead to a greener and cleaner Pakistan. Our initiatives are in line with the UK’s Greening Government Commitments that set out the actions UK government departments and their agencies will take to reduce their impacts on the environment in the period from 2016 to 2020. I look forward to the UK government doing even more for Pakistan and the world’s environment.”

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