There are umpteen benefits of trees, and the trees that we see today, are the product of the seeds that someone planted couple of years ago. Trees play an important role in moderating the climate of any country. Scarcity of trees poses as a great threat to the climate of any country, and since we know that climate does not respect national borders, hence this makes it a global challenge. International standard suggests that forestation must be 25 percent of the land of any country, but unfortunately in Pakistan, the total forest area is only 3 percent of the total land. According to some media reports, deforestation of Pakistan is 2.4 percent per annum, making it the highest in Asia. This breakneck speed of deforestation in Pakistan, is leading to drastic changes in the region’s weather systems, including land and marine biodiversity.

To top it all off, some unpalatable truths were discovered by the Ministry of Climate Change. It states that, ‘1.6 billion tons of CO2 is produced as a result of deforestation’ i.e. the cutting and burning of forests.

To conclude, it is high time that we realized the importance of planting trees. It not only helps in curbing the menace of climate change in the country but also helps in reduction of air and noise pollution. And so here an adage goes well, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

ENGINEER IZHAR HUSSAIN SOLANGI,

Rawalpindi, August 17.