On November 13, 2019, the Centre for Business and Society (CBS), in collaboration with the LUMS Environmental Action Forum (LEAF), organised a panel talk on smog awareness and the current air pollution crisis in the country.
During the months of October and November, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Lahore has frequently reached hazardous levels. Poor air quality is one of the leading causes of sickness and death in Pakistan with an estimated number of 135,000 deaths every year caused by ambient air pollution. This makes smog a public health emergency. The panel successfully brought this issue to the forefront and held a constructive dialogue on the causes of smog, the importance of having relevant air pollution monitoring data and various health implications of high AQI levels.
The talk was moderated by Mr. Dawar Nauman Butt, a Public Policy Consultant and Air Quality Data Analyst. The panelists included Mr. Abid Omar, Founder, Pakistan Air Quality Initiative, Ms. Tabitha Spence, an academic and climate activist, and Dr. Zulfiqar Mir, Geriatrician and Palliative Care Specialist with a special interest in Public Health.
Chief Guest for the event was DIG Akbar Nasir Khan, COO Punjab Safe Cities Authority. Other attendees included LUMS faculty members, students, staff and industry experts.
