Climate reparations

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Pakistan is staring into a financial abyss. The World Bank estimates that the country will need $350 billion between 2023 and 2030 to combat climate change - an amount far beyond its means. Pakistan, ranked fifth most climate-vulnerable country and 23rd in disaster risk, has already suffered catastrophic losses, with the 2022 floods displacing 8 million people and causing $14.9 billion in damages - 4.8% of GDP wiped out in a single event.

Yet, despite repeated warnings and mounting evidence, international climate financing remains elusive. Wealthy nations, responsible for the bulk of global emissions, have made grand pledges but failed to deliver. The $350 billion estimate itself is likely conservative, as it does not account for essential investments in sustainable agriculture, flood management and rural infrastructure. Meanwhile, Pakistan's development budgets - averaging just $11 billion per year - fall drastically short of what is needed. The solution requires a two-pronged approach. Pakistan must move with full force towards resilience and sustainability, while the global community must meet its financing commitments. The country must prioritise climate adaptation into its development plans. Urban expansion must be regulated to prevent further ecological degradation, and renewable energy investments should be accelerated to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Additionally, a robust flood management system and social protection networks must be established to safeguard communities from future climate disasters. Simultaneously, wealthy nations must deliver on their climate financing pledges. The long-promised $100 billion annual climate fund, along with support from institutions like the Green Climate Fund, must be unlocked.

This is not a local crisis but a global failure. The industrialised world cannot continue to ignore its moral and financial responsibility. Climate reparations must be considered as a debt owed to nations like Pakistan that bear the brunt of a crisis they did not create.