SIDRA SAIF ISB: Lead-Pakistan and WWF-Pakistan organized the three day workshop on “Intended Nationally Determined Contributions development.
In the workshop Mushahid Ullah Khan, climate change Minister expressed his views about climate change impact on Pakistan. He said that global warming has emerged as the biggest challenge of the 21st century and resulted in frequent flash floods, forest fires, torrential rains, sea-level rise, glacier melt and depleting river flows. The minister said INDCs would contribute towards firming up Pakistans contributions towards climate change. The minister further stated that every country has become helpless to meet with the challenges due to its drastic effects. The developing and underdeveloped countries as compare to developed countries are bearing its worst consequences; according to an estimate the climate change-related activities are costing Pakistan 5 to 7 per cent of its annual federal budget.
Mushahid Ullah Khan warned that country could not achieve sustainable development goals if the country failed to adopt rapidly changing weather patterns and mitigating the carbon missions. Nine out of ten worst climate change-induced calamities hit Pakistan during the last decade, which seriously damaged countrys very initiatives for socio-economic development and caused a huge loss of the life and properties worth billions of rupees.
Arif Ahmed Khan climate change secretary said climate change is not only threatens sustained economic growth and development but intensifies existing political, social, economic and security challenges.