“Youth demand more action ahead of COP 27”, says Sherry Rehman at COP in my city event in Islamabad

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman, during her concluding remarks at the COP in My City Summit organized by the Ministry of Climate Change in collaboration with UNICEF, stressed that climate discussions and discourse among the youth will prove fruitful in priming the future generations to endeavor for a sustainable, green future.

Appreciating the efforts of youth partaking in climate debate, Federal Minister remarked, “It is so exciting to see the youth geared up for upcoming COP27 where the issues of reducing emissions, loss and damage and addressing the triple planetary crisis which is pollution, loss of biodiversity and climate change will be discussed. Youth must be integrated in activities that address all of these issues that pertain to their future.

It is very important for them to be involved and to have a voice in shaping core agendas by bringing the environment and climate change to the fore. We hope you have a strong and well-articulated core climate agenda for yourselves to advance at such forums. Our generation had carbon-intensive lifestyle and you are paying for it. Youth are the future and they can define at what level we need to change our lifestyles and our carbon-intensive footprint in not just the present but also your potential future. We are standing at the precipice of a very fragile time for Pakistan and it is linked to the climate change and the way it affects our world.”

Discussing the current flood situation in the country, Minister Rehman said, “Our fellow Pakistanis are mired down in the greatest floods Pakistan ever saw. These floods are unprecedented and have adversely impacted a huge number of populations. The ‘Monster Monsoon’ has inundated 70% of our country. Our helicopter sorties could not land due to lack of dry land and we eventually had to send in the Navy. The 2010 floods, and 2005 earthquake created humanitarian disasters that we could respond to and provided relief very quickly. But the level of inundation has submerged our dry lands to 10 feet deep floodwaters. This is a humanitarian disaster of epic proportions. This is a national security challenge for Pakistan because it impacts 9.1% of our GDP. The recent floods have cleared away the land equivalent to the size of the country of UK. A large population is seeking shelter and food, but we were late in our response since such unprecedented rainfalls were not expected. We are using all of our resources but they are not enough in the face of this crisis.”

Minister Rehman further stressed, “We need to do disaster risk mapping since our risks have changed overnight. We need to map the country for new risks and new shocks. Right now, we are looking at short term relief efforts. But to reconstruct for a climate resilient topography, we will have economic shocks. We have repurposed our climate grants for immediate relief. People on land have lost everything and are looking up at the merciless sky as it either rains to casts a hot sun. We are taking care of the humanitarian frontline and first order needs. 5000 km of metalled roads have been wiped out completely. 243 bridges have been obliterated. We are in a very sobering moment. We need to understand that hectoring each other is not the way forward. The polarities that divide us need to be put to rest or we will not be able to fully utilize our resources with agility. Unite, for the sake of your country. Our country is in danger. We are all in this together. I implore you to use your resources to your best ability.”

Expressing appreciation for the development partners, Minister Rehman said, “Humanity has to make this shift towards resilient living. We are caught at the ground zero and on the frontlines of a climate catastrophes. We have the largest glaciers, and their melting has no direct correlation with Pakistan’s own actions. Anyone who doesn’t agree with this is either a climate denialist or a carbon colonialist. Everyone needs to do more to help Pakistan. We really appreciate the candor and sense of climate justice brought to public discourse by our development partners.”