Pakistan is implementing a comprehensive plan to deal with the key issues related to climate changes with an estimated amount of $40 billion required by 2030. The plan also consists of enforcing the legislation for establishing Pakistan Climate Change Council, Pakistan Climate Change Authority and Pakistan Climate Change Fund to meet international obligations and acquire financial assistance.
Pakistan required $40 billion by 2030 to address the issues related to climate change, said Federal Minister for Climate Change Zahid Hamid here on Tuesday. Speaking at a national workshop on the theme 'Forging Partnership for Climate Compatible Development', organised by Leadership for Environment And Development (LEAD) Pakistan and Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), he said in order to meet Pakistan's voluntary international commitment of reducing green house gas emissions by 20 percent, Pakistan required financial assistance of US 40 billion by 2030.
Zahid Hamid said US 14 billion annually were also required to adapt to climate change impacts. He said Pakistan had developed comprehensive policies and plans that included both adaptation and mitigation measures; however, the availability of adequate funding was a major hurdle to implement such policies."Securing such levels of investment is a major challenge and we hope that the financial commitments in the Paris Agreement regarding the availability of at least $100 billion per year by 2020 will be released," he added.
He said Pakistan Climate Change Bill had just been passed by the Parliament and it would become law after assent of the President. He said Pakistan was among the few countries in the world with a law specifically dedicated to climate change. He called the approval of Pakistan Climate Change Bill a historic, red-letter day for entire climate movement of Pakistan. He said the new law establishes three important institutions; Pakistan Climate Change Council, Pakistan Climate Change Authority and Pakistan Climate Change Fund.
Explaining the new institutions, Hamid said Pakistan Climate Change Council would be chaired by the Prime Minister and it would include the chief ministers, provincial environment ministers, chief secretaries of AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, representatives of non-governmental organisations, scientists and researchers as its members.
He said the council would approve and monitor implementation of comprehensive adaptation and mitigation policies and might direct any government agency to prepare and implement climate change projects. He said Pakistan Climate Change Authority shall comprised the chairperson, member adaptation, member mitigation and member climate finance.
"The authority will formulate comprehensive adaptation and mitigation policies, plans and projects designed to meet Pakistan's international obligations and advise the government regarding appropriate legislative, policy and implementation measure and actions related to disaster preparedness and awareness raising in relevant sectors affected by climate change."
Speaking about the Climate Change Fund, the minister said the fund shall be utilised for expenditures incurred by the authority, for financial assistance to suitable adaptation and mitigation projects and for sustainable development of resources and research. Speaking to the participants, CEO LEAD Pakistan Ali Tauqeer Sheikh said Pakistan needed to transition towards mainstreaming implementation of climate action at various tiers of governance.
"Triggering action at provincial level is critical given the devolution of mandate in the country and this requires governance structures and accountability mechanisms at national and local levels," he added. He said Pakistan Climate Change Act could serve as a framework for this transition and it was expected that the proposed institutional changes would strengthen climate action, governance and ownership in the country. Chairman National Disaster Management Authority, Major General Asghar Nawaz, and Regional Coordinator CDKN, Hammad Raza, were also present at the event.