Tackling climate change requires collective effort: Sami Saeed

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Muhammad Sami Saeed on Monday called for coordinated and collective global efforts to counter the climate-change-related challenges.

“The government, civil society and international partners must join hands to tackle climate crisis through collective and coordinated efforts to combat the crisis,” he said while speaking at a seminar on National Resilience Day organized by the National University of Science and Technology (NUST).

Last year, Pakistan faced unprecedented devastation due to torrential rains and flooding in most parts of the country, affecting 33 million people and causing economic losses worth $30 billion.

Following this, the government prepared a 4RF framework, suggesting effective coordination and participation arrangements among the federal and provincial governments, development partners, donors, international and national NGOs, and academic and private sectors.

Pakistan has been witnessing challenging impacts of climate change, ranging from devastating floods to prolonged droughts, from heatwaves to melting glaciers.

“These changes pose immense threats to our environment, economy, and the well-being of our people,” remarked the Planning Minister, urging the stakeholders to play their constructive role to combat the crisis.

In October 2022, the Post-Damage Needs Assessment (PDNA) – conducted jointly by the government of Pakistan and its international development partners, including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Union, and UN relief agencies estimated the aggregate cost of the calamity at $30 billion.

Pakistan’s carbon emission is less than 1% however, it is among the countries that are most vulnerable to climatic disasters.

Pakistan pleaded this case before the COP27 summit held in Egypt last year.

In January 2023, Pakistan successfully managed to secure pledges of $10 billion from donors which was committed during the International Conference on ‘Climate Resilient Pakistan’ jointly hosted by Pakistan and the UN in Geneva.

Recognizing the role of nature in climate adaptation and mitigation, Sami Saeed said Pakistan launched robust natural capital restoration efforts, including ambitious tree plantation programmes to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions but also to restore ecosystems and enhance livelihood opportunities for the vulnerable, including women and youth.

The planning minister added that the investments in climate research, technology and innovation were vital for identifying and implementing effective solutions.

By fostering partnerships and sharing knowledge, he said, “We can accelerate progress towards climate resilience and sustainable development.”

He also highlighted the key initiatives taken by the government to combat the climate crisis.

It is noted that various development projects are being executed for the flood-affected areas under the 4RF framework as the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) approved climate-resilient projects.

In this regard, a dashboard will be launched at the Planning Ministry to ensure the effective monitoring and evaluation of the projects.