Call for strategies to avert risks of climate change

Envoy says Demark wants to share its climate lessons with Pakistan

ISLAMABAD:

Ambassador of Denmark to Pakistan, Jakob Linulf, said climate change is casting adverse impacts on the globe and it is equally important for Pakistan and Denmark to develop strategies for averting its risks to humanity and biodiversity.

He was speaking at a workshop organised for journalists on Climate-Smart Reporting: Carbon Market and Equitable Development organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) the other day.

“Denmark has faced a lot of challenges in the way and that’s why it wants to share its lessons learnt with Pakistan so that it does not repeat the same mistakes,” said the envoy.

The ambassador spoke at the event as a representative of a green-transitioned country since, as he too pointed out, Denmark has already completed its green transition and transformed its energy sector from a fossil fuel-dependent energy mix to a greener one that is based on solar, wind, and biomass.

Linulf said that carbon markets are a new opportunity for Pakistan to improve its economic situation and reduce carbon emissions for green development through sustainable and environment friendly practices.

The Danish ambassador highlighted that the Embassy was collaborating with the SDPI for experience and knowledge sharing. He noted that Danish companies which had adequate technologies to address the impact of climate change can collaborate with their Pakistani counterparts.

“Pakistan is facing double crises; economic crisis coupled with climate change as the 2022 floods inundated 1/3 of the country leaving millions of millions displaced and billions of dollars’ worth livestock, infrastructure and ready to harvest crops washed away,” he said.

He highlighted that the carbon market can be an important tool in developing efficient tools to benefit from latest mechanisms to cut carbon emission and address climate change.

He further said that business leaders can take the lead in influencing green transition, especially in the sectors of steel, fertiliser and cement, where carbon adjustment can be a useful method along with fuel adjustment and waste management.

SDPI, Senior Economist and Energy Expert, Dr Khalid Waleed, briefed the participants on the concept of carbon markets and its link to economy and the role of media in creating awareness on the matter to circumvent serious impacts of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on the exports of the country in the future.

SDPI Executive Director, Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, said that the aim of the workshop was to address knowledge gaps, leverage international practices and find a way forward in collaboration with relevant stakeholders. “Journalists can shape public opinion and guide policymakers on adopting efficient carbon markets, whereas the think-tank and media both can benefit from each other's experiences to reduce carbon emissions.”

“It is important to highlight the urgency of climate change and the critical nature of the transformative power of carbon markets as South Asia currently suffers from many environmental crises,” said Dr Suleri.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2024.