SIDRA SAIF: Pakistans emissions are just 0.8 percent in the global trajectory but on the other hand it is among the most affected by climate change in addition to facing criticism from the world in terms of not following the agreed standards and international conventions. On the other hand, the developed world, which is contributing a lot towards global warming and subsequent climate change impact, is in the habit of shifting the responsibility to the poor and third world states.


Though the country is registering low emissions, yet the price it is paying is too much high. Constant glacial melting, heavy floods and subsequent losses of properties and human life, land erosions, crops destructions, salinity and wet lands are the offshoot of global warming.


As a part of the G77 countries, Pakistan has pressed on rich countries to pay for climate risks and damages caused due to climate-altering and an escalating trajectory of carbon emissions for which rich countries are responsible. Rich countries have also been pushed on the transfer of finance, technology and technical know-how to developing countries like Pakistan.


A scientific study conducted by WWF-Pakistan titled “Climate Change Adaptation in the Indus Ecoregion: A Micro-Econometric Study of the Determinants, Impact and Cost Effectiveness of Adaptation Strategies” has proven that climate change is affecting agricultural output in Pakistan. The report highlights that losses of up to 8 to 10 per cent, equivalent to Rs. 30,000 per acre, are expected across all crops.


The government of Pakistan pleaded its case at the UN Climate Change Conference COP21 recently held in Paris, France. Minister for Climate Change Zahid Hamid apprised the participants that his country how vulnerable they are to the climate change impacts. He also referred to the latest study by Germanwatch which highlights the high vulnerability of Pakistan to climate change.


“Every country has to play its part and contribute in dealing with climate change. Everyone has to pay the price for it,” he remarked adding, “The final outcome of the Paris agreement is a compromise but the conflicting positions of developed and developing countries.”


He explained that 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.


Malik Amin Aslam, Vice President, IUCN, and Chair of the Green Growth Initiative in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, said, “We are definitely at the receiving end of climate injustice – facing the heat while contributing very little to the issue. We are at an age of forced adaptation and have to cope with yearly floods, freak weather events, melting glaciers, bursting glacial lake outbursts and a shifting monsoon pattern – all of which is gravely impacting our economy.”


He said that Pakistan demands the unfunded funds, especially the Global Climate Fund, to finally start delivering on its promise of helping countries adapt to climate change and developing climate resilient infrastructure.


Pakistans vulnerability to climate change is increasing with every passing day. A tornado in Peshawar killed 44 people and injured hundreds, heat waves in Karachi killed more than 1,500 people and recent floods in Pakistan killed 233 and affected 1,572,191 people.


Pakistan has to adapt and mitigate climate change immediately, as we dont have time to wait for a climate agreement to be signed and implemented by 2020. We are highly vulnerable to it and already paying a high price in the form of unusual and extreme weathering events. Alarmingly, the only stakeholder not negotiating is nature which is also not waiting to act.

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