‘Climate clock is ticking faster than imagined’ Sherry stresses need for holistic approach to fight climate change

ISLAMABAD: Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman has cautioned that the “sustainability of life on earth and the overall socioeconomic development of current and future generations are now under threat,” stressing that cooperation between the states for “bold climate and environmental issues is critical to actively move the needle and bridge the gap between the pledges and pipelines that we all make multilaterally, as well as the gap between ambitions and actions.”

“Despite the fact that our policies are aligned with SCO goals as well as by commitments made in the Paris Agreement, implementation of our collective plans fall short as the climate clock is ticking faster than we imagined,” she said at the virtual meeting of the Heads of the Ministers and Agencies of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states over environmental protection, organised by India.

She said Pakistan has a “unique” position as one of the 10 most vulnerable countries to climate change, despite contributing less than one per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

“We are on the frontlines of climate change, braving disastrous floods, unbearable heatwaves, and fast-melting glaciers. The catastrophic floods that ravaged Pakistan last year, inundated one-third of the country, impacted 33 million people and caused over $30 billion in economic losses and damages,” she said.

“Climate change knows no borders. The need for effective utilisation of this forum by leveraging our respective comparative advantages and sharing experiences, and working towards our common goal of mitigating— and adapting to climate change is the need of the hour.

We must act now to ensure a sustainable future for generations to come,” according to the minister.

On the occasion, she proposed establishing a technical working group to exchange information and best practices on common issues, exploring for capacity building, knowledge sharing, and developing regional mechanisms for climate financing and carbon markets.

She also emphasised that SCO members could consider building a united voice in advocating for reforming the international financial architecture to transform access pathways that remain blocked for climate finance delivery to developing countries, especially those on the frontlines of accelerated climate stress.

In a joint statement, the SCO members emphasised the need to strengthen cooperation in the field of information exchange, conservation of biological resources, adaptation to climate change and mitigation of its consequences.

They reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, and the Paris Agreement, and emphasised the need to ensure a holistic approach to combating climate change.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023