KARACHI:
Climate change refers to a shift in weather patterns resulting in extreme climate events. Many countries including Pakistan are already experiencing extremities in weather and unprecedented climate events. Last year, Pakistan suffered severe destruction after catastrophic flooding during the monsoon season. Similarly, the state of California in the US is currently experiencing heavy flooding. Due to rising sea levels, the Indonesian capital Jakarta is sinking, which has compelled the country to relocate its capital.
Amid all this, a German coal company is hell-bent on mining the coal underneath the Lutzerath village. The German government appears to be in favour of the project as it believes that the project will help resolve Germany’s energy crisis. Climate activists say that burning coal for energy will increase emissions and violate the Paris Climate Agreement’s ambition to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Considering that coal is a major contributor to global warming, the project will further increase the likelihood of catastrophic climate events in the coming years. Naturally, the countries more vulnerable to climate change will be the first to face these consequences. Given Germany’s disregard for the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement, all countries and international organisations must pressure the country to halt the project.
Rashid Ali Dool
Thul
Published in The Express Tribune, January 19th, 2023.
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