Global fund deal 'pivotal step' for climate justice, says PM Shehbaz Sharif

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday hailed historic United Nations (UN) deal struck on funding to help vulnerable countries cope with the effects of climate change, ARY News reported.

The UN COP27 summit wrapped up Sunday in Egypt with a deal for a fund to help vulnerable countries cope “loss and damage” from devastating climate impacts.

Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the establishment of a “loss and damage” fund at the United Nations COP27 climate summit is the “first pivotal step” towards the goal of climate justice.

The premier further lauded Climate Change Minister Senator Sherry Rehman and her team for their efforts.

“The establishment of loss & damage fund at the UN climate summit is the first pivotal step towards the goal of climate justice,” Shehbaz tweeted.

On behalf of the government & people of Pakistan 🇵🇰 , I extend our best wishes to His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, the Emir & brotherly people of Qatar 🇶🇦 for hosting the football World Cup. The world will experience the best of Qatar’s history, culture & hospitality

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) November 20, 2022

Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman while welcoming the agreement has hoped that the deal will help developing countries to tackle devastation inflicted by the climate change and rehabilitation of the affected persons.

Taking to Twitter, Rehman said that it had been a “long 30-year journey from demand to formation of the loss and damage fund for 134 countries”.

“We welcome today’s announcement and joint text hammered out through many nights. It’s an important first step in reaffirming the core principles of #climatejustice.”

Now that the Fund has been established, we look forward to it being operationalised, to actually become a robust body that is able to answer with agility to the needs of the vulnerable,the fragile & those on the frontline of climate disasters. 2/4

— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) November 20, 2022

Pakistan — the world’s fifth largest population — is responsible for only 0.8 percent of global greenhouse emissions but is one of the countries most vulnerable to extreme weather caused by global warming.

Earlier this year Pakistan was struck by devastating monsoon floods that left nearly a third of the country under water, affecting more than 30 million people and leaving a repair bill estimated at nearly $30 billion.