Climate change Pakistan's emissions are just 0.8 percent in global trajectory: minister

Minister for Climate Change Zahid Hamid has said that Pakistan's emissions are just 0.8 percent in the global trajectory but on the other hand it is among the most affected by climate change. He said this while addressing a workshop organised by Heinrich Boell Stiftung to discuss outcomes of UN Climate Change Conference COP21 recently held in Paris (France).
He apprised the participants that Pakistan had a good delegation, NGOs and experts who followed all the streams during the negotiations. The minister said, "When the conference was handed over to the ministers, he told the world that how vulnerable we are." He also referred to the latest study by Germanwatch which highlights the high vulnerability of Pakistan to climate change.
"We also participated in the second side event which focused on the threats to snow leopard faces in Pakistan particularly due to climate change. We discussed how to protect the vulnerable species by mobilising local communities to play an important role in its conservation,' he added. The minister informed participants that 187 out of 196 countries submitted their Intended Nationally Declared Commitments (INDCs). The Paris agreement is based on some principles, to limit the global temperatures to below 2 degrees with the aim of reaching to 1.5 degrees.
"If we translate this into real emissions reductions it would mean 60-80 per cent cuts by half of this century. Every country has to play its part and contribute in dealing with climate change. Everyone has to pay the price for it," he remarked. Zahid further said, "The final outcome of the Paris agreement is a compromise but the conflicting positions of developed and developing countries. The good news is that all of us came to a consensus."
While discussing the short comings, Zahid Hamid said, "The reduction in emissions is entirely voluntary thus aimed to reach global peaking level as soon as possible. "We are in process of ratifying the agreement and hopeful of preparing a comprehensive plan of action," he added. He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has urged to have a forest plan of the country as part of the vision 2025 which will also help us to adapt and mitigate climate change.
He claims that the Ministry of Climate Change to become one the most important ministry in the future but that depends on how it adopts the climate agreement and plays an effective role in reducing Pakistan's vulnerability to climate change. When asked about the INDCs, the minister said, "We have formed a group of experts to determine our peaking level so that our INDCs can be determined. We have to move faster to run with the agreement and access the climate finances."
When asked if through the CPEC, China will transfer its outdated coal technology to Pakistan, he responded with a negative as firmly said that this won't happen as they expect to have the best technology from China. In order to meet the energy crisis, the Minister of Climate Change confirms that there are a number of coal power projects in the pipeline and vows to curb its emissions by preferring better coal technology.
Paris agreement on climate change has set the momentum for change that has given hope to humanity and world leaders that climate action is inevitable. Earlier, speaking at the workshop, Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, CEO, LEAD Pakistan said that the COP21 moot has set momentum for change and true meaning of this agreement will be manifested through actions as national level by governments, cities, citizens and corporations.
Nadeem Ahmad, Policy Analyst, LEAD Pakistan while addressing the participants said that the Paris Agreement has fundamentally changed the role of developing countries in global climate governance and it is now a binding requirement not only to formalize the process of developing national plans for addressing climate change, but also to assess and review progress on these plans at least every five years.
Bilal Anwer, who previously worked as the global head for Climate Change Services, Michigan, US, and now serves in COMSATS CCRD, said that now at least we have an agreement. The world has taken it seriously and positive feedback regarding the agreement is expected from Pakistan.