Enhancing Environmental Education to Promote Pre- Emptive Smog Mitigation Strategies in Urban Areas of South Punjab: An Overview

Abstract

This review evaluates the causes, effects, and mitigation measures regarding the smog problem in the South Punjab of Pakistan. Air pollution comprises major pollutants, including smog resulting from emissions by industries, automobiles, and crop residue burning, which leads to several public health emergencies, such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Though governmental initiatives have been made to reduce smog through policy mechanisms, there has not been much improvement due to weak implementation and several socio-economic factors in the region. According to this paper’s viewpoint, stringent environmental laws and effective implementation measures are critical to combating the increasing pollution challenge. In addition, environmental education in awareness and behavioural change concerning long-term smog control is also discussed. From cross-national cases, including Beijing and northern India, the review also provides details of strategies that may be implemented in South Punjab. Some of the recommendations are to improve policy and compliance, offer farmers subsidies, introduce environmental components into schools and other learning institutions, and increase public awareness campaigns. Therefore, it becomes reasonable to state that only a combined regional and countrywide approach can help improve the air quality in the South Punjab region through a more intensive focus on economic development and environmental measures, for which steps have been identified in the following paragraphs.