Pakistan committed to deliver rapid response on climate change: FM

Celina Ali

Islamabad: Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani has said Pakistan was committed to delivering rapid response on climate change and meeting the global goals to reduce its devastating impact.

At a pre-COP28 (Conference of the Parties to the Convention) seminar titled ‘Pakistan’s roadmap for upcoming conference in Dubai’, the foreign minister emphasized Pakistan’s willingness to contribute to the solution to address climate change.

The seminar was hosted by the Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change (CSCCC), with the support of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Pakistan.

The event served as a platform for government officials, experts, academia, civil society representatives, and the media to come together and strategize for Pakistan’s role in the upcoming COP28, scheduled to commence next month in Dubai.

FM Jilani highlighted the pivotal role of the Global Stocktake in achieving global course correction, which, he termed, crucial for the success of COP28.

Established under Article 14 of the Paris Agreement, the Global Stocktake is designed to assess the collective progress towards achieving the purpose of [the Paris] Agreement and its long-term goals.

Jilani said Pakistan was set to play a constructive role in dealing with the urgency of course correction to ensure a brighter future for the children.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi emphasized the need to cultivate a culture of social responsibility regarding climate change, advocating for conversations to begin in various forms of media, including news, drama, film, and poetry.

He announced the forthcoming introduction of a dedicated Climate Desk at PTV, designed to act as a catalyst for fostering a holistic, whole-of-society approach.

Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Asif Hyder Shah outlined Pakistan’s advocacy goals for COP28, emphasizing the central role of Adaptation and the full mobilization of the Loss and Damage Fund.

He underscored that the eligibility criteria for the Loss and Damage Fund were a critical concern for Pakistan, emphasizing the need for inclusivity rather than marginalization, particularly for those on the front lines of the climate crisis.

Deputy Head of Mission at the UAE Embassy in Islamabad, Rashid Abdel Rehman Al Ali, expressed the COP28 Presidency’s commitment to delivering a comprehensive plan of action at the milestone event. He eagerly anticipated the collaboration between the UAE and Pakistan during the conference.

CSCCC Chief Executive Aisha Khan stressed that climate security “lies at the core of human security, necessitating an urgent refocusing on peace, prosperity, partnerships, and the well-being of both people and the planet”.

USIP Country Director Imran Khan echoed the pressing need to integrate climate change into all policy and strategic discussions, recognizing its role as a potent threat multiplier.

During the plenary session, a moderated panel discussion also took place with Aisha Khan serving as the moderator.

The panel featured a diverse group of experts, including Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad (ISSI) Director general Sohail Mahmood; National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) Director General Tanveer Paracha; Country Director of Population Council Dr Zeba Sathar; and USIP Country Director Imran Khan.

The discussion focused on the connection between climate change and security, emphasizing the need for collective ownership and shared responsibility between all tiers of government and society.

Sohail Mahmood highlighted the significance of regional cooperation, citing frameworks like SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) as potential avenues to reduce conflict risks, protect vulnerable communities, and promote knowledge sharing for enhanced resilience.

Dr Sathar pointed out that Pakistan’s high population growth rate had been a result of policy inaction and mismanagement over time.

Imran Khan cautioned against over-securitising climate change, as it could divert resources from human development to defence, leading to an unfavorable outcome.

He stressed the importance of placing human and social development at the center of discussions on the issue.

Tanveer Paracha shared the NIDM’s efforts in creating a framework that facilitates coordination with academics, civil society, non-governmental organisations, and other local actors on the ground. “This network will facilitate the dissemination of early warnings and improve preparedness and response to disasters,” he said.

SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Suleri, in his concluding remarks, emphasized that a significant challenge in addressing climate change lay in the lack of integration and synchronization of governance and policy related to the climate agenda.

He underscored the necessity of exploring alternative models for climate financing, drawing a parallel to how the World Food Programme was established as an entity separate from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to tackle the challenge of food security.