Call for creation of ‘climate change authority’
A boat stranded on the shore of Thatta after a flood. As a consequence of climate change, frequency of floods has increased, forcing entire communities living in the coastal areas to uproot themselves. After every devastation, fishermen, along with their meagre belongings are left with little choice to move elsewhere in search of livelihood. PHOTO: JAHANZEB TAHIR (@jt76007)
The long-awaited Climate Change Authority should be created without any further delay as mitigating climate change risks and seeking climate financing from the international community needs a comprehensive policy, legislation and governance mechanism.
This was the crux of a dialogue titled ‘Post COP27 Strategy for Pakistan: Climate Financing and Decarbonisation. According to a statement, the moot was organised by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS).
The participants deliberated on necessary mitigation and adaptation measures to tackle the crises arising from climate change. Speakers said Pakistan’s own environmental governance structure needs to be comprehensively operationalised to seek assistance through international climate financing, especially the ‘loss and damage’ fund.
The session, chaired by IPS Steering Committee on Energy, Water and Climate Change Chairperson Mirza Hamid Hassan and former federal secretary of the ministry of water and power was addressed by IPS chairman Khalid Rahman, Dr Muhammad Irfan Khan, International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) Environmental Sciences Dean Syeda Hadika Jamshaid, Ministry of Climate Change Climate Policy Specialist Syed Aqeel Hussain Jafri, Policy and International Cooperation, Alternative Energy Development Board Director Dr Shafqat Munir Ahmed, SDPI Resilient Development Program Director Dr Kanwar Muhammad and others.
The experts deplored that despite the passage of the Climate Change Act 2017, the formation of Climate Change Authority and Climate Change Council still seems an uphill task. They were of the view that the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and other bodies concerned should prioritise this critical national issue.
While sharing insights on climate financing, the speakers acknowledged Pakistan’s advocacy and role at COP27 in making the international community, particularly the developed world, realise the disastrous consequences of climate change and the need for loss and damage financing for vulnerable countries.
This realisation marks active progress toward the cause, however, Pakistan must take conclusive actions at the national level as well because whatever the climate compensation may be, it would not ensure future security against climate-induced afflictions, argued the speakers.
With an increasing poverty rate and poor human development, this has become particularly significant as Pakistan would remain vulnerable in the future. As part of the futureoriented solutions to the crises triggered by climate change, it is important to adopt green measures within society as well as corporate sectors, along with formulating indigenous mechanisms and legislation, they advised.
Moreover, as observed by the experts, the recovery from the floods including reconstruction and social development is estimated to require $16 billion while the secondary recovery costs, including medical care and food supply, would surpass this figure. Therefore, things can’t get better just with climate financing.
While highlighting the de-carbonisation strategy, the speakers maintained that Pakistan has already presented itself as a responsible nation by committing to de-carbonise the power sector through renewable energy transition and aiming to achieve the goal of 60 per cent share of non-fossil fuel-based power generation by the end of this decade.