Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK has said that Pakistan is in the grip of climate change, from which climate financing is Pakistan’s right to protect it.
In an article in the global journal Reuters, Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK Dr. Muhammad Faisal said that measures are urgently needed to protect against torrential rains, devastating floods, intense heat waves and melting glaciers. Pakistan’s devastating floods show that we need adequate and effective climate finance.
He said that Pakistan has witnessed devastating floods, the world has also witnessed scorching heat in Canada and Greece. The growing symptoms of the global climate crisis are disproportionately affecting those responsible. According to the United Nations, climate-related disasters have almost doubled compared to the last 20 years.
He added that developing countries are bearing the brunt of the effects of climate change. These effects indicate an urgent need for global attention. Climate financing is a fundamental reform to provide investment in a cooperative manner around the world. The recent floods in Pakistan have caused a humanitarian catastrophe, with more than 1,000 deaths since June.
He added that Pakistan contributes less than 1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Pakistan is on the front lines of a climate war that it did not start.
He added that an estimated $16.3 billion was needed for recovery and reconstruction after the 2022 floods in Pakistan alone. International donors pledged more than $8.5 billion for flood recovery and reconstruction. Most of the aid was either never disbursed or was diverted from other programs earmarked for Pakistan. The failure to disburse flood recovery aid highlights a significant flaw in the climate change financial architecture.
Furthermore, direct payments to affected countries like Pakistan are still pending. New, additional grant-based resources and full investment are needed to address the inevitable impacts, while green bonds, public-private partnerships and policy frameworks are also needed. Pakistan is tackling climate change as part of the “Uran Pakistan Program”.