Mar 29, 2015
News
Negative impacts of climate change : ‘Challenges demand enhanced cooperation at international level’
*Federal secretary says Pakistan’s 5,000 glaciers are in retreat and likely to cause water stressISLAMABAD: Ministry of Climate Change Federal Secretary Arif Ahmed Khan has said that climate actions should be taken within the context of efforts to eradicate poverty and promote sustainable development and urged the global community to ensure that the new global climate agreement, which will be adopted at the Paris global climate conference in December 2015 and implemented from 2020, is ambitious and viable.
He urged the developed countries to take lead in this regard in accordance with the principle and objectives of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Addressing at the three-day Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) international conference on “Climate Change” held in Safranbolu (Turkey), Khan highlighted, “We are at the crossroads and climate change is the defining issue of our times. It not only posts risk to sustained economic growth and development but also intensifies existing political, social, economic and security challenges. Besides, it poses additional stress on our resources and serves as impediment to the whole spectrum of socio-economic development.”
Given the grave scenario of the negative impacts of climate change, the challenges posed by the climate change demand enhanced cooperation among the international community through collaborative efforts, the federal secretary stressed.
The three-day ECO conference, kicked on March 25 in Safranbolu, Turkey, was attended by top key government and non-governmental representatives of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan Republic, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Arif Ahmed Khan headed a Pakistani delegation at the ECO Safranbolu Ministerial Conference on Climate Change, and shared Pakistan’s stance and action plans regarding climate change issues and preparations for the upcoming COP21 conference.
He added that developing countries, however, face greater challenges of climate risks and impacts and protracting poverty simultaneously. Talking about Pakistan’s contribution to global warming, he told the ECO conference participants that Pakistan’s contribution in the overall global carbon emissions is very little. Yet, Pakistan has been placed among top 10 countries ranked as the extremely vulnerable countries by a host of scientific studies and climate change indices. “We are threatened in multiple ways. Climate-induced drought, desertification, glacial-melt, sea level rise and recurrent floods, are just to name a few,” Khan said.
The Safranbolu meeting on Climate Change aimed at advancing regional agenda for the 21st global Conference of Parties (COP21) of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and focus on the necessary arrangements for active representation and participation of the ECO in the COP21 to be held in Paris, France, late this year. The meeting also discussed ways and means to establish cooperation framework with the UNFCCC, Framework Plan of Action entitled “Preparation of a regional programme for implementation of the Framework Plan of Action on Environment Cooperation and Global Warming for ECO member states (2011-2020)”.
Highlighting current scenario of Pakistan’s glaciers, the federal secretary said that Pakistan’s 5000 glaciers are in retreat and likely to cause water stress in Pakistan. “The economic losses suffered during the floods of 2010 and 2011 surpassed $15 billion. The floods again hit us this year causing tremendous damages to life and property,” he recounted and added the “recurrence of such climate-induced disasters decelerates our efforts to reduce poverty, enhance food security, improve healthcare, and improve access to energy”.
Nationally, Pakistan has developed a comprehensive policy and strategy to address climate change at all levels and in all socio-economic sectors, particularly water, agriculture and energy, Khan informed the global community. “Given our extreme vulnerability to climate change, the adaptation remains country’s essential priority,” he stressed and added, “We have also adopted a comprehensive approach on disaster risk reduction and management. Our mitigation efforts cover energy as a high priority followed by transport, town planning, agriculture etc. We are working to change the energy mix on the basis of our meagre resources to reduce carbon emissions.”
Talking about the ‘climate finance’, the federal secretary said that tackling climate change calls for corresponding means of implementation in the developing countries. “The magnitude of climate finance required in this regard is enormous. According to various estimates, Pakistan alone will require an additional $10 billion annually to adapt to climate change impacts. “Our mitigation requirements range from $18 billion in 2014/15 to $45 billion in 2050,” he said.
Enhanced action by developing countries requires enhanced and predictable means of implementation. Securing and channelling such levels of climate finance in the developing world is a major challenge. Hence, the operationalisation of Green Climate Fund is a step in right direction. The pledges for initial capitalisation of Green Climate Fund are encouraging. But, these are still far from the commitment of $100 billion a year as committed by the rich countries.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk