Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said developing countries needed help from the developed world to cope with climate changes. He said that in his view, while addressing Climate Finance Round Table Conference here in Baku.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP 29) has formally launched in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. The main agenda items of this conference will include satisfaction over the delivery of climate financing commitments emphasizing concrete, and-accountable contribution from the developed countries, finding local solutions to the local issues derived from the climate change action, and the promotion of regional and global partnerships in implementing decisions.
During the meeting, Pakistan will insist on the fulfillment of climate financing commitment. It will consequently review previous assurances in order to scale up resources available for dealing with such climate change challenges.
Pakistan lies in the region where climate change threatens the livelihood, dwelling, food and security of a large proportion of its population. Climate change risks are severe in Pakistan, and it is warming faster than the global average. Transparency International, in its report released in March, states that climate-related changes cause a loss of $4 billion to the country every year.
Though Pakistan adds up to less than 1% of the global carbon emissions, it is still affected by climate-related catastrophes that bring on destruction. Floods and drought have destroyed all the infrastructure and economic resources. Rehabilitation work on the 2022 flood victims is not yet fully completed. All these challenges can be overcome by strengthening Pakistan’s climate diplomacy goals, promotion of gender equality, and smart agriculture initiatives through private sector participation.
The use of fossil fuels is heavy in developed countries and has increased the global temperature. It is said that water consumption decreases and yields of agriculture are decreasing across the globe. Rising flames of wildfires, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels pose serious threats to thickly populated areas in the world.
Geographical location has made Pakistan highly vulnerable to climate risks. These climatic challenges can no longer be ignored. Member countries collectively agreed to increase global renewable energy capacity to 11,000 GW by the end of the decade. At last year’s COP28 event in the UAE, the European Union offered $275 million, the UAE $100 million, the U.S. $17.5 million, and Japan, Germany, each coming forward with $10 million. Other member countries promised a total of $100 million. Top 50 oil and gas companies commit to be carbon-free by 2050 and emit zero methane, but implementation has not yet started.
The main threat to Pakistan is that it will run out of water, and by the end of 2025, it will join the ranks of countries facing a severe deficit in freshwater supplies. In 1972, Pakistan had water reserves of 7,500 cubic meters, which have now dwindled to 1,150. This largely lies in the change due to global warming but also because of our careless use of water. We waste water carelessly in washing clothes, floors, and cars.
Presently, it can be bought cheaply in Pakistan at the price of $2 per cubic meter whereas in Malaysia it is worth $56 per cubic meter. Presently, there is no effective system for water storage in Pakistan and frequently the waters of rain go to the sea through floods. Pakistan depends on rivers and reservoirs originating from India which can be used as a weapon against us. Among the problems linked to this issue is water pollution, in which untreated sewage of rivers entering Khyber Pakhtunkhwa poses serious health threats to human beings and aquatic life.
Urbanization and concrete development are decreasing the wetting field of the soil that results in urban floods in these cities. The city of Peshawar, which is once considered a garden city, is rapidly declining orchards, which are lowering the ground level to 170 feet from 60 feet. Moreover, the threat of floods is prevalent in Chitral throughout the year because of heat in the climate.
Climate change has altered the pattern of rainfall, which again leads to decreased crop yields. Farming needs to adjust according to climate change, and scientific inputs need to be exploited. Hybrid seeds are already available for crops like maize, but the farmer should be ready to adopt non-traditional approaches. Effective use of water can be done by undertaking government functions and campaigns for spreading techniques like drip irrigation.
The Asia-Pacific Climate Report states that, in the future, Pakistan will suffer greatly at the hands of climate change: its GDP may decline by 21% by 2070. Rice and maize will be lower by 40%, soybean 20%, and wheat by 45%. Fisher will go down by 20%, while tree cover in Pakistan will reduce by 10%.
Pakistan ranks 10 among 191 countries on the INFORM Risk Index, ranking 5th as the most vulnerable country to climate change in 2024.
Therefore, Pakistan has to activate and raise awareness regarding those challenges resulting from climate change. COP29 is just one platform where Pakistan needs to present its case convincingly. A very important development was climate financing, but this alone hasn’t even approached the mark set, and hence shows how huge a hurdle still there is. Funding is still a main barrier, despite the fact that developed countries promised to step up with more investment since countries like Pakistan are an extreme case in terms of being impacted by climate change.
At COP29, there should be more focus placed on the promise of climate financing and how it can assist in developing development partners that one is made to agree to fulfill one’s pledges for future development partnerships.