FM highlights significance of preserving glaciers

Islamabad: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Wednesday addressed a high-level UN event on ‘Transformative Action for Nature & People’ and shared Pakistan’s journey of restoring ecosystem through nature-based solutions.

The foreign minister in his speech said that due to climate changes taking place since 2000, Pakistan had faced a loss of 3.8 billon dollar and lost 9989 lives.

Due to melting of glaciers, lakes had been appearing in the northern areas of Pakistan, he added.

Qureshi said that these glaciers were not only a huge natural source of sweet water, but also a major water supply resource in the country.

The glacial melting had also affected agriculture sector, supply of drinking water, hydro power generation and natural climatic system in Pakistan, he opined.

The foreign minister stressed upon implementation of pledge made by the developed countries to allocate 100 billion dollars annually for the Climatic Finance so that effects of the climatic change could be netted.

He urged the international community to demonstrate commitment to nature which was at the very heart of the fight against climate change.

The foreign minister further said that in line with the vision of Prime Minister’s Imran Khan for greater climate action, Pakistan co-hosted an event focussing on ‘How changing water availability from ice & snow will impact our societies’.

The foreign minister also outlined Pakistan’s progressive environmental policies to tackle climate change.