The UN chief’s two-day tour is intended to draw attention to how urgently Pakistan needs assistance right now, both in terms of appealing for assistance from the rest of the world and coping with the problem caused by climate change
Hopefully, the visit by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would assist Pakistan to draw attention to the tragic effects the recent floods have had on the nation. When urging “huge” financial contributions for recovery and relief efforts as well as for the rehabilitation of the impacted people and damaged infrastructure, the secretary general didn’t hold back. Furthermore, Guterres has emphasized the suffering that 33 million people are experiencing as a result of the disastrous floods, which are thought to have cost $30 billion in damages.
The UN chief’s two-day tour is intended to draw attention to how urgently Pakistan needs assistance right now, both in terms of appealing for assistance from the rest of the world and coping with the problem caused by climate change. There is “no memory of anything close to what has happened with the impact of climate change in Pakistan,” he asserts in a clear and concise manner.
There is little doubt that floods of this kind are a direct result of the shifting climatic trends that cause catastrophic weather. With nearly a million animals perished, millions of people displaced, hundreds of thousands of homes demolished, and crops washed away, the scale of destruction is immense. The head of the UN has now seen the destruction firsthand and has assessed the situation of those in grave need. The world needs to pay attention to his claim that Pakistan is the victim here because it made no appreciable contributions to climate change.
The country was forced to absorb the majority of the greenhouse gases that the world’s wealthier countries have been releasing despite making almost no contribution to climate change. There is no possibility that Pakistan can be held accountable for the consequences of the destruction it has undergone given its relatively modest output. It is now up to the international community to provide flood victims with additional financial relief than what has been previously announced.
Even if the damages are estimated to reach $30 billion, the global response has been minimal in comparison. The UN chief has also emphasized the urgent need for debt support during this crisis. A serious injustice was done to the entire world by causing climate change, especially to the nations that have already and will continue to suffer its devastating effects. Pakistan is a nation that is under tremendous financial strain as a result of its debts, which are owed to wealthy nations mostly. It is not a matter of solidarity, but rather one of justice, as the UN head phrased it.
Nature’s outrage and rage at how the industrialized world has abused the one planet we call home are visible as the world moves from tragedy to disaster. In the short term, we require assistance and support, but in the long run, global emissions that affect the climate must be reduced. Pakistan now looks to the international community, which has a responsibility to uphold by helping Pakistan — and all nations, for that matter — become more resilient in the face of events like this.
