For days, toxic smog has cloaked Pakistan’s largest province, Punjab, as drastically rising pollution forces authorities to curb activities. The Punjab government has imposed a lockdown and declared a health emergency, closing all schools, colleges, and universities and shifting to online modes until November 24. A complete ban on construction activities has been implemented in Lahore and Multan. Heavy traffic vehicles are restricted from entering the most affected cities, with a few urgent exemptions, such as vehicles carrying fuels, medicines, hospital supplies, and food. Brick kilns and furnace-based industries are also closed.
Additionally, the Punjab government has imposed a complete ban on dine-in services, including car-parking eateries and restaurant services after 4:00 p.m., and even take-away after 8:00 p.m., particularly in Lahore and Multan, to limit outdoor activities. Markets are strictly closed at 8:00 p.m., and public places like parks, zoos, and museums are closed. If affordable, people are advised to wear outdoor masks and use air purifiers in their houses and offices.
Are lockdowns or the closure of educational institutions and markets sustainable for reducing smog? I believe that the first phase of identifying the causes of smog and pollution and planning for the short-term yet immediate actions to curb the smog has concluded. Now, looking at the long-term solutions to curb smog and address the climate crisis for our safe future is crucial. I believe that sustainable solutions require a multifaceted approach. As an academician and active citizen of the world’s most polluted and affected city, Lahore, I propose several steps to foster an environment of clean air and a green future.
First, I always emphasize the importance of enhancing climate literacy in Pakistan, as it is the only sustainable solution. Educational institutions are closed, and outdoor activities are limited, yet if you go to any road in Lahore in the evening, you will see significant traffic. Garbage continues to be disposed of by burning it in the streets of less affluent areas of Lahore. Therefore, social and behavioral interventions are vital in bringing change to both short- and long-term planning to improve air quality and protect the environment in Pakistan. The genuine concern is advocacy and raising awareness to enhance climate literacy among the public, policymakers, and those in positions of power for any long-term solution. To improve climate literacy in Pakistan, a dedicated course on ‘Climate Literacy’ must be incorporated into the national curriculum at all educational levels. I particularly emphasize adding this course to primary and higher secondary school curricula. I have taken the initiative to introduce specialized courses on climate change journalism and environmental communication at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in the Department of Media & Development Communication, University of the Punjab, Lahore. This effort marks the first formal education for media students and future journalists on this crucial genre, neglected in development journalism studies. However, much work remains for climate literacy, especially in the early and primary years of education, where behavior becomes habits and habits become a lifestyle.
Moreover, it is crucial to incorporate Green Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) into the national development framework, as the significant focus of COP 29 in Baku is on sustainable workforce development and human infrastructure in developing countries. Sustainable workforce development must be a key goal for Pakistan, as it involves balancing environmental, social, and economic considerations to promote and secure long-term success and prosperity. To achieve the goal, Green TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) and green productivity are two significant strategies that can help provide a sustainable solution in Pakistan to tackle the staggering climate crisis. Green TVET integrates environmental and sustainability principles into technical and vocational education and training programs. These programs train students in green technologies and their practices, such as clean and renewable energy, recycling, sustainable agriculture, etc.
Similarly, green productivity combines environmental protection and economic prosperity, utilizing resources efficiently to reduce waste and pollution. Green TVET, including green campus, green curriculum, green community, green research, and green culture, can provide a system to create an eco-friendly and skilled workforce to run sustainable industries and an eco-friendly economy. Climate finances are a significant concern for Pakistan for successfully implementing Green TVET. At COP 29, Pakistan has been pushing the developed states to fulfil their financial commitments to support climate action in the developing and affected countries.
Second, educating farmers is crucial because a significant proportion of Pakistan’s economy relies on agriculture. Unhealthy agricultural practices and crop burning significantly contribute to South Asia’s air pollution. Therefore, farmers should be educated to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change and improve their agricultural practices. They should be trained in climate-resilient farming techniques, such as using drought-resistant crops to survive periods of low rainfall and water conversation methods like drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting to tackle water scarcity. Farmers also need to learn and adapt sustainable agricultural practices. One of the most essential practices they must know is crop rotation and diversification, which improves soil health and reduces the dependency on a single crop.
Additionally, the farmers must be sensitized to use organic farming techniques to reduce their reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The farmers should be encouraged to use the superseder machines to avoid burning the crop residues as these machines allow for direct sowing of seeds without cleaning the crop residues. These machines cut and mix the residues with the soil during planting, which also improves soil health, but farmers hesitate to adapt to this method due to unaffordability and the lack of training. The government must incentivize eco-friendly and sustainable agricultural practices by providing machines and training to the farmers. Some crop residues, like wheat and rice straw, can also be used as livestock feed. Moreover, crop residues can be used in biomass energy plants to generate electricity and heat. By providing training for alternative usage and educating farmers on these areas to bring about change, we can make them more resilient to climate change, more willing to adopt sustainable practices, and improve their productivity and livelihood.
Third, policy and legislation for urban greening are essential for achieving long-term pollution reduction. Implementing green rings and urban forestry around the cities can create more green spaces that help absorb pollutants and improve air quality. These green rings can act as natural air filters for metropolitan areas. This is the fact that the rapid expansion of housing societies, especially in Lahore, has reduced green spaces, which intensifies the smog and air pollution. Therefore, the government must take aggressive steps to plant more trees and create green spaces within cities that can aid in absorbing pollutants and improving air quality.
Similarly, another critical area for policymaking and government investment to tackle the climate crisis is to curb vehicle emissions and find sustainable solutions. In Pakistan, expanding and improving public transportation systems can reduce the number of private vehicles on the road, thereby decreasing vehicular emissions. Fines and penalties must be enforced to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and the cultivation of responsible behaviors to control vehicle emissions. Encouraging the use of electric or hybrid vehicles is also crucial if affordable. I want to share my experience in Arizona, USA, during my post-doctorate. There, I observed that people would often share a single ride, pooling the cost to save money, eventually leading to the conservation of resources and reduced traffic congestion and pollution. However, in Pakistan, owning and using a personal vehicle is often seen as a status symbol, with one person per car. This again highlights the need to change the social system and behavioral norms.
Lastly, media plays a significant role in building, shaping, and modifying public opinion and cultivating reality. Media has the power to foster development and can play an important role in designing strategies for spreading environmental awareness among the masses and channelling essential and urgent information without falling into lazy anecdotes. Being an academician of media and development journalism studies, allows me to criticize our media organizations and their priorities in Pakistan. Numerous studies and data reveal that media houses predominantly focus on politics, violence, and entertainment in Pakistan. Development issues such as environmental, health, and human rights are covered only episodically, typically in response to disasters or incidents. Hiring full-time environmental journalists is not a priority for media organizations in Pakistan. Instead, reporters from various beats cover such stories only during the incident phase. As a result, the lack of knowledge, training, interest, motivation, and incentives leads journalists to neglect the thematic coverage of the climate crisis. Though a few names in environmental journalism are doing an incredible job raising awareness because of their own interests, now is the time for our media organization to revisit their interests, agenda, and priorities. Regardless of the economic factors, it is essential for human survival on this planet. Let’s join hands for collective efforts on climate action because I believe that from the significant role of responsible media to enhancing climate literacy and sustainable practices, our journey from haze to hope can certainly lead our generations to a safe and green future.
Dr. Ayesha Ashfaq
The writer is the Chairperson and Associate Professor at the Department of Media & Development Communication at the University of the Punjab.