China and Pakistan: A common journey of building up climate resilience and justice

In recent years, the impact of climate change and environmental issues on Pakistan have been increasingly challenging. Pakistan has witnessed extreme temperatures and excessive rainfall on multiple occasions. In 2022, Pakistan suffered a once-in-a-century flood, which caused huge casualties and property losses.

In 2023, Pakistan was listed as one of the four countries with the worst air quality in the world. In 2024, Lahore was rated as the most polluted city in the world for winter season.

According to the UN report, despite contributing less than one percent of global emissions, the Pakistanis face a staggering risk of climate-related mortality 15 times higher than the world average. Frequent extreme weather, high temperatures and droughts, water shortages, air pollution and other issues have posed serious threats to Pakistan’s agriculture, food security, productivity, and people’s livelihood.

The Pakistani government has been actively taking measures to address these challenges. For example, the Punjab government has vigorously formulated policies, action plans and introduced new technologies, calling for cross-border cooperation to tackle smog in Lahore.

During this process, China has provided all possible support to Punjab, such as dispatching an environmental experts’ team to Lahore to conduct on-site research and submitted policy recommendations. Chinese companies are brought in to build air quality monitoring stations in the province.

During the maiden official visit of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz of the Punjab Province to China, a special meeting was arranged between Minister Huang Runqiu of Ecology and Environment of China and the Chief Minister, and both sides reached consensus on air pollution prevention and control, new energy industries and green low-carbon development.

As one of the first contracting parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and one of the pioneering countries to sign the Paris Agreement, China always adheres to true multilateralism, and the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities”.

During COP29, China released Action Plan on Early Warning for Climate Change Adaptation (2025-2027), pledging to share technologies with developing countries and jointly build a climate risk monitoring and warning platform.

As part of this action plan, a customized cloud-based early warning system in Pakistan will soon be launched and will effectively enhance its capabilities in disaster prevention, reduction and climate change response.

As Pakistan’s good neighbour, close friend, iron brother and trusted partner, China is of the view that cooperation on climate change and environmental challenges is imperative to both countries.

This cooperation will help promote socioeconomic and ecological sustainable development, drive green transformation of industries, improve people’s livelihood, and mitigate natural disasters. This cooperation is also conducive to the high quality development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, enhancing connectivity, strengthening climate resilience, and maintaining regional peace and stability.

China-Pakistan cooperation can contribute to enhance global climate governance, and facilitate the achievement of the sustainable development goals for the global community and the developing countries in particular.

The cooperation between China and Pakistan in addressing climate change and environmental issues has a solid foundation and broad prospects.

China has established a sound “1+N” dual-carbon policy system, optimized the energy structure and contributed nearly a quarter of the global greening area over the past 20 years, with the forest stock reaching 19.493 billion cubic meters.

China’s expertise, technology and commitment to address climate change and environmental hazards have been widely recognized by the international community. I believe that these experiences will provide beneficial references for Pakistan in its policy formulation, industrial structure adjustment, energy transformation, ecological and environmental education.

I believe that China-Pakistan cooperation on climate change and environment can set an example for other developing countries to follow by making more concerted efforts to tackle the global challenges, and create a better future for our posterity.

I believe that this cooperation can also serve as a lesson and a reminder to the developed countries for taking stock of their emission history, shouldering more responsibilities and fulfilling the climate financing promises made to the developing countries, breaking down the green-tech barriers and providing technical support and capacity-building empowerment to the developing countries in fighting this existential threat faced by the humanity.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024