Corruption and the environment by KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

Corruption has a serious impact on the environment. Every two seconds an area of forest the size of a football field is cut down by illegal loggers around the globe. From the embezzlement of funds for environmental protection programmes to major corruption in the issuing of permits and licences for natural resource exploitation, corruption occurs at every level, often leaving environment safeguards ignored or bypassed. The trafficking of endangered species of wildlife, minerals and precious stones as well as forest products such as timber are also inextricably linked to corruption. Bribery is present throughout the entire production chain from the forest to the port with fraudulent paperwork often being used to move the bulky illegal timber across borders and beyond.

Forest crime can have devastating results not just for the environment but for the local communities. Nearly one billion poor people depend on forests for their livelihoods, so any illegal activity impacts them directly as well as affecting delicately balanced forest ecosystems. Other areas vulnerable to corruption include water supply, oil exploitation, fisheries and hazardous waste management. Identifying the challenges • Environmental damage: trafficking in wildlife can further threaten endangered species, while illegal logging can lead to a loss of biodiversity and increase carbon emissions, which contribute to climate change. • Low risk, high profit criminal business: for organized criminal groups the profits are good with little risk as forest crimes are rarely prosecuted and the sanctions often do not match the gravity of the crime. • Bribery and cover-ups: criminals exploit the complicity of officials which can result in cover-ups of impact assessments of large scale water projects such as dams, canals and drains. Bribery and nepotism can also plague the awarding of licenses for the disposal of waste. • Loss of livelihoods: when powerful businesses with the help of corrupt officials, can divert water resources away from small-scale farmers who rely on irrigation from rivers to grow their crops and make a living, the gap is further widened between the powerful and the powerless who can be left with restricted access to resources and land. • Demand reduction: consumers can play a role in breaking the trade in wildlife and illegal timber by being conscientious about products used in traditional medicine such as rhino horn or tiger bones and paying careful attention to labelling when buying exotic timber. The facts

• Trafficking in forest products, wildlife and forest biological resources is a major problem worldwide. It is of particular concern to developing countries. The World Bank estimates that illegal logging generates approximately US$10-15 billion annually in criminal proceeds (Justice for Forests: Improving Criminal Justice Efforts to Combat Illegal Logging, World Bank, 2012). • Trafficking in timber is big business in South-East Asia which has the fastest deforestation rate on Earth with illicit logging a contributing factor. The trade in illegal timber from South-East Asia to the European Union and Asia was worth an estimated US$3.5 billion in 2010 (The Globalization of Crime: a Transnational Organized Crime Threat Assessment, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), 2010). • The costs of water infrastructure are increased by corruption by as much as 40 per cent which equates to an additional US$12 billion a year needed to provide worldwide safe drinking water and sanitation (Fighting corruption in the water sector, United Nations Development Programme, 2011) • The sale of elephant ivory, rhino horn and tiger parts in Asia alone were worth an estimated US$75 million in 2010 (The Globalization of Crime: a Transnational Organized Crime Threat Assessment, UNODC, 2010). • Thousands of cases of animal poaching are reported every year in Africa and Asia. In just one incident in 2012, between 200-300 elephants were killed by raiders who had travelled on horseback across the border from Chad into Bouba Ndjida National Park in northern Cameroon (Elephants in the Dust - the African Elephant Crisis, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network (TRAFFIC), 2013) UNODC: working as part of the solution UNODC is working in partnership with UNEP, TRAFFIC and the Freeland Foundation to strengthen national capacities to detect illicit trade in natural resources and ozone-depleting substances at national borders within the Greater Mekong subregion. This initiative is strengthening cross-border cooperation so the illegal trade in timber, wildlife and hazardous waste can be tackled more systematically and effectively. The UNODC programme in Indonesia is supporting anti-corruption efforts by the Supreme Court, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the criminal justice system and law enforcement generally. It also involves civil society mobilization to better combat emerging threats such as corruption and linked deforestation. The UN Convention against Corruption The cross-border nature of environmental crime and corruption, with raw material in one country ending up as a finished product in another makes international cooperation and information exchange a vital part of tackling this kind of transnational organized crime. The United Nations Convention against Corruption with its comprehensive focus on corruption prevention, effective law enforcement, international cooperation and asset recovery, can be an effective tool to combat corruption in the environmental sector. States need to integrate anti-corruption strategies such as transparency and accountability into environmental legislation and policies and enhance democracy and good governance. Policymakers and governments in resource-rich countries can strengthen the legal framework and relevant institutions and improve transparency in procurement and contracts processes for large-scale infrastructure projects. The private sector can play a key role by encouraging transparent tendering and adopting voluntary codes of conduct that are both ethical and sustainable with provisions for fighting corruption and safeguarding the environment. Tackling corruption in the environmental sector will help create equitable access to essential resources such as water and a clean environment and is essential for protecting our environment and ensuring sustainable development.

Quranic Verses On The Environment And Do-able Action Plans by KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

For Muslims the Qur'an is the ultimate green-guide. Believed to be a sublime revelation with remarkable ideas, this divine scripture is scrupulously read by Muslims for spirituality. But it is not limited to only that. In the Islamic faith, faith in the environment is on par to good faith towards humanity and indeed God, since Muslims believe He created all. The Qur'an therefore, doesn't just link belief in One God (Tawheed) to being nice to plants and keeping a pet. The Qur'an glorifies nature and wildlife as an earthly heaven, a mirror to the lush forests of Paradise above.

1. Anti-Corruption Police Living a balanced, moderate life is easy to say, harder to follow through. Even Muslims-the wealthier, western Muslims-have a difficult time living purely 'off the land'. Yet this doesn't detract from the verses: "...And do not desire corruption in the land. Indeed, God does not like corruptors. " Qur'an 28:77 "...And do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption." Qur'an, 2:60 Think about it How many forms of corruption are there? Crime, political fraud, illegal banking systems, theft, rape. Sound pretty major don't they. Now add to that list littering, deforestation, toxic waste and pesticides. Sure, these are hardly equivalent to murdering but in the long run, these things take human lives too, a fact. That is what the Qur'an is alarming readers about. As if to give a wake-up call, people are told these catastrophic processes can heal and eliminate social and natural disorders, but through belief in God and respect for nature. "...So... let them taste part of (the consequences of) what they have done that perhaps they will return (to righteousness).” (Qur'an 30:41) Preservation of Water Another way of ending poverty is to provide clean water where it's needed. This doesn't have to be a burdensome task. Ask your friends/family to chip in £5 for a community well abroad, your home country perhaps. Tell people to reuse their plastic bottles and donate the cost (£1) to your well-fundraising. Save water in your own homes by fixing leaky taps and request that the masjid caps water usage to limit wastage. Water is a huge life-providing theme in the Qur'an. God talks about how He creates life through water then sustains it by streams, the rains, rivers and oceans that are homes for so many creatures. "And Allah has sent down rain from the sky and given life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who listen." (Qur'an, 16:65) In the Qur'an, God uses the analogy of life and death for Muslims to recognise the value of water. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said that one day people will wage war over rivers of gold. He was talking about water. We have taps that fill our basins with gold, but we cannot afford overflows while people wait for the rains. Third-world countries in desert climates are counting on us to give the cost of our water to them. By starting something simple like a well-fundraiser you kickstart a chain reaction that will motivate others to do the same. People will call your mosque a Green Mosque for following the prophetic Eco-Wudhu and preserving water. Whomever receives your well/water-pump will be able to plant crops, fruits and trees for generations. "And We have sent down blessed rain from the sky and made grow thereby gardens and grain from the harvest." (Qur'an, 50:9) As water is another natural creation, Muslims believe it belongs to God and nobody can monopolise it. Water is for sharing and there is enough water for all. 5. Gardens of Paradise The Qur'an contains lots of horticultural information which science has reaffirmed by more than 90%. Like previous revelations in the Gospels and Torah, Quranic plants are mentioned in detail with the medicinal properties of herbs being highlighted. God speaks about His creative design and the nutrition available from natural produce as an encouragement to eat healthily: "And it is He who sends down rain from the sky, and We produce thereby the growth of all things. We produce from it greenery from which We produce grains arranged in layers. And from the palm trees - of its emerging fruit are clusters hanging low. And [We produce] gardens of grapevines and olives and pomegranates, similar yet varied. Look at [each of] its fruit when it yields and [at] its ripening. Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe." (Qur'an, 6:99) Among the plants mentioned in the Qur'an there is garlic, grapes, pomegranate, herbs, dates, ginger, olives, lentils, onion, cucumber, figs, mustard, a variety of trees including the cedar and the acacia flower. What do we learn from this? Plants are already part of our diet so there's not much impetus to start talking to trees but we could always take it a step further. The Eco Muslim I am pro-gardening and will always encourage readers to grow something. Anything. At the least, your pot of 'wildlife' will encourage pollination and eco-systems. Cut a tree, plant a tree. For every bouquet of flowers you give, plant flower seeds; at least once a year, sponsor a sapling in Palestine; grow fruit trees with your kids. Grow stuff man! Build an eco-system by filling hanging baskets with luscious compost or peat. Needless to say, increase your intake of heavenly greens and fruits. Finally, take time out to appreciate the beauty of meadows and foliage around you. These moments of reflection count as worship for Muslims, they are moments of connection to the Creator. But you can take it however you want. Gratitude is the key. 6. Treating Animals With Dignity "And there is no creature on [or within] the earth or bird that flies with its wings except [that they are] communities like you. We have not neglected in the Register a thing. Then unto their Lord they will be gathered." (Qur'an, 6:38) http://quran.com/6/38 God uses the word 'community' (umma) to describe the similarity between people and animals. We have our social groups, animals have theirs. There is a beauty and majesty in the innate construct of swimmings shoals of fish or flocks of birds dancing in the skies. Muslims reflect, where do penguins learn parenting skills? How do baby turtles know to head to water? For Muslims, this answer is divinely inspired. It's a sad reality that animal rights are grossly violated throughout the Muslim world. Violence like hunting for skins or tusks means that several animal species are extinct. Imagine those animals were ethnicity groups, could you really accept all of Europe or south-east Asia being wiped out? I don't think so. In many countries animals are needlessly killed or eaten without health considerations. For true Muslims, both actions are illegal. This is why pork is unlawful (haram); it's very unhealthy. A few animals cannot be consumed under Islamic law and all animals have to be raised with dignity, with the exception of an attack (think poisonous snakes!) The city shepherd I know that Muslims know their faith is about being kind to animals. But what about a chicken's lifestyle prior to being slaughtered? What about treating cats with love so they are not scared? What about giving back what is taken from them - ? Like what, you ask. Lemme tell you: The Bee and the honey it makes: A whole chapter in the Qur'an is dedicated to bees (An-Nahl, 16:68-69), elevating the magic involved for turning nectar into honey. People are not supposed to disrupt honeycombs or knock down 'live' hives. In this instance, giving back would involve planting yellow coloured flowers to help bees collect nectar or supporting a bee farm. Zabiha animals: In Islamic law animals like cattle and poultry are lawful to eat because they are healthy and they have been made by God to be consumed (see Mai'dah, 5:4). For an Islamic slaughtered the animals needs healthy grazing without hormones, given tenderness with freedom to roam and then prepared for slaughtering (zabiha). The Zabiha method involves covering the animal's eyes and reading God's name (takbir) to help the animal submit. Without good health, the animal may be Zabiha but it will not be lawful (halal) to eat. Muslims do not have to eat meat. Vegetarianism is an option in Islamic law and eating less meat is the best diet. Doing more: Request your masjid to sponsor an endangered animal which students can get updates on (how cool would that be?). If you know a cosmetic company tests on animals, don't use it. It might not save hundreds of animals or shut the company down but at least you're not contributing to a monster process. You are the one with the ethics. 7. Eating Wholesome “Eat and drink from the provision of Allaah, and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption." (Qur'an, 2:60) Halal food actually tastes better. There is more attentive cooking involved in a halal meal then a take-out, try it, invite your self to a Muslim friends' flat. A strong Islamic rule is to eat in moderation and drink in moderation. Food tech (home ec) lessons were right, wholewheat is better, 5-10 portions of fruit/veg a day is optimum, and 6-10 glasses of water is ideal. The Sahaba diet: Muslims fast for 30 days of the lunar year. For the remaining months, a balanced diet is required with the occasional fast to keep the body in check. The Companions (sahaba) of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, lived in poverty but they chose to maintain healthy lives. Many of them had strong muscles and toned bodies, ready to dig and build for others. Laziness in exercise and strength is therefore not an option. All major faith groups have some form of "consumption control" because binge-eating spoils the human spirit. Science tells us that the body is designed to fast so Muslims feel they have a headstart in this soul-food. Islamic etiquette tells Muslims to follow a formula concerning food: We say God's name when eating (bismillah), we always eat with our right hand, we eat slowly, chew slowly, eat smaller portions, sip water 3x, sit for eating and drinking, we share our food and cover all uneaten food. How to eat Go vegetarian for a month every year to improve your diet Your body is not a bin so stop filling it with junk food Recognise Zabiha vs. Halal: Zabiha is Islamic and Halal is organic. You need both Keep to your ethics by checking food labels-support poorer countries and buy more local Don't bother with fancy diets. Make a food chart of what you should be eating and follow that 52 weeks of the year 8. Patching The Ozone The ozone "hole" over the Antarctica is a phenomenon whereby the stratosphere is thinned out (it's not really a hole). It's caused by refrigerants: CFC's, halons and freons. These have been banned since the 1970s but we still lose a few percentile of ozone each year, and the increased thinning means the earth is losing its protective layer. Islam's 14-hundred-year-old book mentions the atmosphere in embracing language: "And We made the sky a protected ceiling (canopy), but they, from its signs, are turning away." (Qur'an, 21:32) "It is Allah who made for you the earth a place of settlement and the sky a ceiling and formed you and perfected your forms and provided you with good things. That is Allah, your Lord; then blessed is Allah , Lord of the worlds." (Qur'an, 40:64) Finding a band-aid God has wrapped the earth with atmosphere and people have burned it away. Restoring it requires global diligence and commitment to neutralising toxic gases/radiation. It is asking a lot from billions of people yet I believe it is the only way to go about it. Fight existing organisations that pollute the most and get politically involved to shake up government awareness. Environmental action is always on the agenda but not many have the courage to follow-through. Nuclear plants and factories have protected legal rights to emit certain amounts of pollution and waste, we cannot always defeat those. But doing our individual part can collectively heal the "hole" in the sky over the years. 9. Understanding The Creation After reading such a variety of information from the Qu'ran, it's time to look at #EcoIslam ideas as a whole. The Qur'an is a book for thinkers and is open to anyone not afraid to read. This is what the Qur'an also says... The Art in Design (and the Design in Art) "Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky and makes it flow as springs [and rivers] in the earth; then He produces thereby crops of varying colours; then they dry and you see them turned yellow; then He makes them [scattered] debris. Indeed in that is a reminder for those of understanding." (Qur'an, 39:21) Tectonic plates and mountain 'pegs' "And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that you may be guided," (Qur'an, 16:15) Travelling on sea "He released the two seas, meeting [side by side]; Between them is a barrier [so] neither of them transgresses." (55:19-20) Weather patterns "And it is He who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy until, when they have carried heavy rainclouds, We drive them to a dead land and We send down rain therein and bring forth thereby [some] of all the fruits. Thus will We bring forth the dead; perhaps you may be reminded." (7:57) "It is Allah who sends the winds, and they stir the clouds and spread them in the sky however He wills, and He makes them fragments so you see the rain emerge from within them. And when He causes it to fall upon whom He wills of His servants, immediately they rejoice." (30:48) "It is He who shows you lightening, [causing] fear and aspiration, and generates the heavy clouds." (13:12) All these verses are amazing starting points for activism. Environmental welfare is described as something sacrilegious, beneficial for us, and so naturally Muslims are going to act on them, right? I mean, to say that being The Eco Muslim is a spiritual act is laughable for many but I see it as a real integral part of my faith. By reading these verses it should at the very least make you aware of Islam's harmonious core. Living as socially responsible and exemplary human beings is one of the Islamic commands of God. 10. Respecting The Creator So Who is God? "Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful. Whichever [name] you call - to Him belong the best names." (17:110) A world without God No belief at all is like saying there's no morality or no social code: the system cracks. In Islam, Quranic warnings describe a world where there is no authority and the ego becomes the ultimate religion. Such a world inevitably destroys itself and becomes destroyed. These final days are described in various Quranic verses. If a person has no belief, one has to question where the morality comes from. Logic tells us to respect nature because it's the source of our food, health, livelihood. It's our planet. All things come from the ground and The Eco Muslim policy is to walk on this ground without damaging it. Appreciating the universal system, from quarks to quasars, the Qur'an says be a thinker, reflect, meditate. It's good for your own health. Respect others, pass the good vibes on.

Rain is Blessing or Curse in Pakistan by KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

Pakistan is a place where colours keep changing. It’s often said that we crave for things that we don’t have, its human psyche. Likewise, rain is one of the most desirable things, and more so here because it comes for short intervals of time. While it is only in the form of showers, we enjoy it a lot but as soon as it turns to rain heavily, we are under a lot of stress as rain is unpredictable, with no specified dimensions.

Areas like Thar need rain and depend upon it to turn into paradise. After the rains, sand dunes become lush green fields, soothing one's eyes. Rain water bestows the desert with valuable agricultural products. No doubt, ours is an agricultural country with many important crops grown here and agriculture plays an important part in our economy. Majority of people in rural areas are farmers too. Many areas lack proper irrigation systems and therefore rain is much desired in such areas, as almost everywhere else.

The sound of rain charges up everyone and children in particular like to enjoy getting wet in rain and playing in the puddles that are created by rainwater. Rain simply beautifies the atmosphere all around us — provided it is in reasonable amount. Sometimes it happens that some areas become so try that people there pray for rain to quench the thirst of both animals and the land. And when it starts to rain and rain and rain, the very same areas become flooded and people face a lot of destruction and loss. Even in metropolitan cities like Karachi, life becomes difficult as roads get flooded and water enters so many homes. When water level rises, it can be the scariest nightmare you'd come across. How’d you feel when your loved ones are homeless and you have nothing expect what you are wearing?

Like last year, this year too our country had to face floods in many places, especially rural Sindh. Roads, homes, fields, vehicles, etc., everything has been washed away with the rising level of rainwater. Economically, once again we are hit terribly by a natural disaster after the flood of 2010. We had barely time to overcome last year’s miseries and again we are pushed into the nooks of darkness. Many districts of Sindh — Hyderabad, Badin, Thatta, Mithi, Umerkot, etc. — are flooded and now many infections are appearing in those areas. Poor drainage system has given rainwater no way out, and the poor public is facing the music. Newspapers and news channels are giving a lot of coverage to the tragedy produced by rain and also showed images of how some people enjoyed getting drenched in the rain where there was no flooding. Things differ with respect to places, people and circumstances. What can be the solution of this frightening economic, social, financial and agricultural problem? What will happen to the people who have no home to sleep, no food to eat, no one to look after them? We need to act today because if we don’t, for many of us tomorrow may never come. Monsoon rains are a yearly phenomenon and we need to take proper measures to create drainage for rainwater, both in urban and rural areas. We know the problem, we know the solution, we only need to act, and act now!

Environmental Changes causes our behavior changes by KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

Many scientific researches have shown an obvious fact, that the behavior of a human being is created by the environment. If genes predispose a certain behavior but the environment doesn’t support it, then that behavior won’t manifest, so in this case, genes aren’t important.”

How The Environment Shapes Human Behavior.

We live in a remarkable time the age of genomics. Your genome is the entire sequence of your DNA. Your sequence and mine are slightly different. That’s why we look different. I’ve got brown eyes you might have blue, or gray; but it’s not just skin-deep. The headlines tell us that genes can give us scary diseases, maybe even shape our personality, or give us mental disorders. Our genes seem to have awesome power over our destinies, and yet, I would like to think that I am more than my genes. Likewise, every connectome changes over time. What kind of changes happen? Neurons, like trees, can grow new branches, and then can lose old ones. Synapses can be created, and then can be eliminated; And synapses can grow larger, and they can grow smaller. 2nd question: What causes these changes? It’s true; to some extent, they are programmed by your genes. But that’s not the whole story, because there are signals: electrical signals, that travel along the branches of neurons, and chemical signals, that jump across from branch to branch. These signals are called neural activity. And there’s a lot of evidence that neural activity is encoding our thoughts, feelings, and perceptions, our mental experiences. And there’s a lot of evidence that neural activity can cause your connections to change. If you put those two facts together, it means that your experiences can change your connectome. And that’s why every connectome is unique, even those of genetically identical twins. The connectome is where nature meets nurture. And it might be true that just the mere act of thinking can change your connectome; an idea that you may find empowering. Think about the way you act, your facial expression, the values accepted by you, the way you talk, everything, and remember that they are a result of your environment.” How The Environment Shapes Human Behavior. Example

(Louann Brizendine, neuropsychiatrist and author of The Female Brain (2006) and The Male Brain (2010), recorded at Dominican University of California, March 31, 2010) The nature nurture debate … is dead … for the following reason: the brain is very, very malleable. We’re all born with male or female predispositions, and then we’ll have hormones that increase that circuitry for behavior, which is what a hormone is supposed to do. A hormone’s job is to make us predisposed to certain behaviors. However, the way we’re raised, for example, little boys: Studies have shown that little boys who were told they’re not supposed to touch something, they often will grab it and touch it, whereas a little girl can be given a verbal demand not to touch it. Little boys worldwide are punished more frequently for transgressions. Little boys are told not to cry, that they’re supposed to “man-up,” right? Even at a young age, dads sometimes are very, very scared if their little boy is showing any version of effeminate behaviors. For example, I remember flying coast to coast with a guy who sat next to me. He said his 18 month old son, when he saw his 4 year old sister open a present earlier that week, which was a purse, he said, ‘Oh, can I have a purse too?’ And he said he found himself, like someone had kicked him in the stomach, and he just yelled at his eighteen month old son, ‘No, boys don’t have purses!’ He was reporting to me this event, and he felt so ashamed and embarrassed afterwards, because he realized that his little boy wasn’t expressing anything about being effeminate or not. So the way we raise little boys, and we raise little girls, our brain circuits are so malleable. For example, we weren’t born learning to play the piano, right? You do practice, practice, practice. You can retrain brain circuits, to do a variety of things. All of our life, we are trained, gender trained, to be more one way or the other. Males: facial expressions for example, when they measure them and put electrodes on them, and show them a grizzly photograph that is supposed to make you cringe and emotional, their facial expressions, versus females, actually showed more emotional response in the time before it becomes conscious. Then right after the one second level when it becomes conscious, their facial muscles start to freeze down for frowning or smiling. In females, facial muscles actually amplify, and the males’ go down. Scientists believe, the hypothesis is, that the males have been trained to suppress an emotional feeling. There is no such thing as: bad, criminal, lazy, brilliant people, thieves or racists. Only people predisposed to such behavior. But if the environment doesn’t trigger them, the behavior never manifests.” How The Environment Shapes Human Behavior. Example

The most extreme case is represented by feral children. A feral child is a human child who has lived isolated from human contact from a very young age, and has no (or little) experience of human care, loving or social behavior, and, crucially, of human language. Feral children lack the basic social skills which are normally learned in the process of enculturation. For example, they may be unable to learn to use a toilet, have trouble learning to walk upright and display a complete lack of interest in human activity around them. Oxana Malaya began her life living with dogs, rejected by her mother and father. She somehow survived for six years, living wild, before being taken into care. There are few cases of feral children who’ve been able to fully compensate for the neglect they’ve suffered. Oxana is now 22, but her future still hangs in the balance. Have scientists learned enough from previous cases to rehabilitate? For six years, Oxana Malaya spent her life, living in a kennel, with dogs. Totally abandoned by her mother and father, she was discovered, behaving more like an animal, than a human child. For two centuries, wild children have been the object of fascinating study. Raised without love, or social interaction, wild (or feral) children pose the question: What is it that makes us human?”

Environmental Issues and Orange Line train Lahore by KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

Environment activists have turned down as inadequate remedies proposed for air pollution during the construction of the Orange Line Metro Train in the environment impact assessment (EIA) report of the project. A very responsible person of the Lahore Bachao Teheek says the report lacks mention of increased particulate matter along the route during construction of the track. He says construction work and traffic congestion will contribute to an increase in particulate matter, contributing to air pollution. He says the report proposes use of polythene curtains or fences at the construction site to prevent air pollution. However, he says such measures are incapable of checking particulate matter.

He says this problem will be particularly acute in densely populated areas like Lakshmi Chowk and the surroundings of the Shalamar Gardens.

Mr Araiz Ahmad, a resident of a neighbourhood near Shalamar Gardens, says the government had recently undertaken construction work in the area to establish a signal-free corridor for vehicular traffic. He says it will now dig up the road again to lay the track for the Orange Line train. “This reflects poor planning,” he adds.

Nasim ur Rehman Shah, Deputy Director at the Environment Protection Department, says the department is consulting experts to ensure that the project is implemented in an environment-friendly manner. He says a public hearing on the EIA is scheduled for June 30 , 2016 The EIA report states that 620 trees along the route will need to be cut for the construction of the track. It says that the Punjab Metro Bus Authority (PMA) and the Parks and Horticultural Authority (PHA) will plant 6,200 trees as a replacement. It says plants will be selected in view of their ability to absorb carbon emissions. The report mentions contamination of ground water, impact on soil, and noise and air pollution as issues that can arise during the construction of the track. It proposes to set up an environment committee to receive and redress grievances of residents of areas in the vicinity of the construction site. The Orange Line train will run on a 26.23 km long track. The major portion of the track will be elevated (24.38 km). A 1.15 km portion of the track will be underground. The average distance between stations is 1.02 km – maximum distance is 1.54 km (between Sultanpura and City Railway Station) and the minimum 0.59 km (between City Centre to Anarkali). The route will begin at Dera Gujran in the north. It will pass GT Road, City Railway Station, Lakshami Chowk, McLoed Road, Lake Road, Chauburji before heading southwest. It will run parallel to the Multan Road and pass Gulshan-i-Ravi, Samanabad, Sabzazar, Wahdat Colony and Hanjerwal. From Thokar Niaz Beg, the track will turn towards Raiwind Road where it will at Ali Town. The construction will be completed in 27 months.

How Are We Changing the Physical Environment of Earth’s Surface? by KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

Accelerated human modification of the landscape and human-driven climate changes are fundamentally altering Earth’s surface processes and creating ecological challenges that scientists and policy makers are struggling to address.

The environmental impacts of human activity are expected to increase as the climate continues to warm and as the world becomes progressively more populated, industrialized, and urbanized. Scientific research has generally succeeded in documenting the magnitude of these biophysical changes, including habitat loss and fragmentation, soil erosion, biodiversity loss, and water depletion and degradation. Yet the exact processes leading to these changes are still not adequately understood and quantified, and we still lack the best methods and techniques for detecting, measuring, and analyzing global change. Soil erosion provides a prime example to understand what is at stake. Although a natural process, soil erosion has greatly accelerated globally due to cultivation, deforestation, and a host of other land-use practices (Montgomery, 2007a,b; Figure 1.1). Increased soil erosion generates sediment supply that often exceeds the transport capacity of stream systems, leading to vast sediment storage on channel beds, on hillslopes, and in floodplains. This historical sedimentation has already had significant impacts on channel processes, aquatic systems, and fisheries (Waters, 1995; NRC, 2004). Moreover, these legacy sediments represent a future risk because they can be remobilized and introduced into aquatic systems even following landscape amelioration (Walter and Merrits, 2008). Anticipated climate change will heighten the human impact on the physical environment in many places. Predicting the magnitude and timing of these future impacts remains uncertain, but measurable changes have already occurred climatically (Elsner et al., 2008) and hydrologically over the past few decades, with earlier ice-out dates, reduced magnitudes of spring runoff and summer low flows, and changes in the timing of peak streamflows (Hodgkins et al., 2002, 2003; Huntington et al., 2003, 2004). Future climate change will likely bring greater hydrological and ecological shifts nationally and globally, with potentially profound impacts on water availability (Arnell, 2004; Milly et al., 2005; IPCC, 2007). Earth surface changes, then, frequently raise resource management challenges, prompting efforts at ecological restoration, and environmental legislation often requires communities or other stakeholders to restore stream channels or wetlands. Yet it is uncertain how, and under what circumstances, most disturbed natural systems can recover, and even less is known about the baseline conditions that may potentially guide restoration efforts. Despite the development of a billion-dollar-a-year restoration industry, the science of watershed restoration is still in its infancy (Wohl et al., 2005; Walter and Merrits, 2008). Large uncertainties remain in other aspects of wetland and river restoration as well, including the ecological and economic tradeoffs of structural (“hard”) vs. nonstructural (“soft”) approaches and, more importantly, the metrics, goals, and time frames for guiding and achieving watershed restoration.

Why is Environmental Education Important? by KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

Why is Environmental Education Important? Our nation’s future relies on a well-educated public to be wise stewards of the very environment that sustains us, our families and communities, and future generations. It is environmental education which can best help us as individuals make the complex, conceptual connections between economic prosperity, benefits to society, environmental health, and our own well being. Ultimately, the collective wisdom of our citizens, gained through education, will be the most compelling and most successful strategy for environmental management (1).

Yet studies consistently reveal that the U.S. public suffers from a tremendous environmental literacy gap that appears to be increasing rather than decreasing. For example, two-thirds of the public fail even a basic environmental quiz (2) and a whopping 88 percent of the public fail a basic energy quiz (3). These same studies found that 45 million Americans think the ocean is a source of fresh water and 130 million believe that hydropower is America's top energy source. A. Environmental education increases student engagement in science. In our schools, research has shown enormous benefits from environmental education. When integrated into a science curriculum, environmental education demonstrably improves student achievement in science (4). Such an increase is likely due to the fact that environmental education connects classroom learning to the real world. Students, when given a choice, will gravitate towards environmental science. Science fair administrators note that 40 percent of all science fair projects relate directly to the environment, and the Corporation for National and Community Service reports that more than 50 percent of the service-learning programs they fund are focused on the environment. The relative lack of environmental education in the U.S is one leading cause for why our students’ performance in science compared to other countries does not meet our expectations (see "The Influence of Environmental Education on U.S. Performance in TIMSS vs. NAEP" included in this book). B. Environmental education improves student achievement in core subject areas. When integrated into the core curricula or used as an integrating theme across the curriculum, environmental education has a measurably positive impact not only on student achievement in science, but also in reading (sometimes spectacularly), math, and social studies (5). The same study found that schools that taught the core subjects using the environment as an integrating context also demonstrated: reduced discipline and classroom management problems; increased engagement and enthusiasm for learning; and, greater student pride and ownership in accomplishments. Even more importantly for many, environmental education employs and enhances critical thinking and basic life skills. The National Science Board of the National Science Foundation confirmed the importance of environmental education to student learning in their 2000 report, Environmental Science and Engineering for the 21st Century: "The twin goals of learning are to acquire knowledge and gain skills such as problem solving, consensus building, information management, communication, and critical and creative thinking. Environmental issues offer excellent vehicles for developing and exercising many of these skills using a systems approach…changes should be made in the formal educational system to help all students, educators, and educational administrators learn about the environment, the economy, and social equity as they relate to all academic disciplines and their daily lives." Likewise, the 2005 Report to Congress submitted by the National Environmental Education Advisory Council on the status of environmental education in the United States finds that "environmental education – with its emphasis on critical thinking, interdisciplinary teaching, and learner achievement – is also helping to meet educational reform goals." C. Environmental education provides critical tools for a 21st century workforce. The vast majority of Americans are convinced that the environment will become at least one of the dominant issues and challenges of the 21st century, as the growing needs of the growing global population increasingly presses up against the limits of the earth’s resources and ecosystems. The National Science Foundation’s Advisory Committee for Environmental Research and Education confirmed this in a 2003 report, noting that "in the coming decades, the public will more frequently be called upon to understand complex environmental issues, assess risk, evaluate proposed environmental plans and understand how individual decisions affect the environment at local and global scales. Creating a scientifically informed citizenry requires a concerted, systematic approach to environmental education..." (6) At the same time, business leaders increasingly believe that an environmentally literate workforce is critical to their long term success and profitability, with better environmental practices and improved efficiencies impacting positively on the bottom line while helping to better position and prepare their companies for the future. Charles O. Holliday, Jr., Chairman and CEO of DuPont, speaks for a growing number of his peers in declaring that: "an environmentally sustainable business is just good business, given the growing concern for environmental problems across America. A key component of an environmentally sustainable business is a highly educated work force, particularly involving environmental principles." As one example on the micro scale, the National Environmental and Training Foundation estimates that environmental education about topics such as energy, water and waste management, improved employee health, cleaner working conditions, and recycling would save small and medium sized businesses alone at least $25 billion/year. D. Environmental Education helps address "nature deficit disorder." A recent study found that children today spend an average of 6 hours each day in front of the computer and TV but less than 4 minutes a day in unstructured outdoor play, leading researchers to discover a new condition specific to this current generation that they have called "nature deficit disorder." This extreme emphasis of indoor time spent in front of screens versus outdoor play and discovery has been correlated with negative psychological and physical effects including obesity, loneliness, depression, attention problems and greater social isolation due to reduced time with friends and family. What do increased study of science and nature and its increased outdoor time accomplish? Especially in the very young, it has proved in studies extremely beneficial for cognitive functioning, reduced symptoms of attention deficit disorder, increased self-discipline and emotional well-being.