PM Shehbaz calls for ‘practical implementation’ of loss & damage fund to cope with climate challenge

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday, calling the Loss and Damage Fund the realisation of climate challenge by the global north, said it was however a must to practically implement the commitment as the disaster faced by Pakistan could also hit others in the future, APP reported.

The prime minister, addressing the event “COP27 and Beyond: Pakistan’s Resilience Challenges” told the world that what had happened in Pakistan would not stay in Pakistan which necessitated seriousness towards the challenge of climate change.

“Our friends in the global north, they should and they have realised the importance of this challenge. And that is why it has made a remarkable agreement at Sharm El-Sheikh. Loss and Damage is now a reality. But then, it’s not about these agreements and understandings. It’s about practical implementation,” the prime minister remarked addressing the event held to acknowledge the ministers, government officers, and experts whose efforts led to the agreement on the Loss and Damage Fund.

He appreciated the efforts of all those involved for achieving “which was almost impossible.”

He said the unprecedented floods in Pakistan had affected 33 million, left 800 dead, and inflicted around $30 billion loss to the country’s agriculture, industry, infrastructure, and livestock.

He thanked the donor countries and organisations and local philanthropists for supporting the flood survivors.

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He also lauded the role of the provincial governments and government institutions for their efforts for the relief and rehabilitation of the victims.

He said the “Loss and Damage was like a sleeping beauty for the decade” and for the first time, it was articulated by the team led by the ministers for foreign affairs and climate change.

He said Pakistan had been seeking justice it had faced which had nothing to do with having less than 1% contribution to the carbon emission.

He also appreciated the role of diplomats, experts, and other ministries including economic affairs, planning, information, and every Pakistani who contributed to making the world realise what happened to Pakistan.

Addressing the ceremony, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar said Loss and Damage Fund was a “landmark event” because it was able to develop something which the developing countries had been pursuing for the last three decades.

She said the Fund would support developing countries like Pakistan to rebuild the destroyed infrastructure and achieve resilience.

“This is not about only global south alone but rather all climate justice seekers both in north and south,” she remarked.

She apprised the gathering of the concerted efforts made by the prime minister, foreign minister and diplomats at COP27 and earlier, as the urgency was felt more after the floods.

She said the Fund was considered a major outcome of the COP27 and appreciated the flexibility shown by the developed countries which led to the agreement bringing a win-win situation for all.

Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman, who had been instrumental in the dialogue process at COP27, said resilience was key to a sustainable future and trajectory to growth.

She said the concerted public advocacy led to the agreement adding that it was all about climate justice, not charity as the developing countries lacked resources to deal with the climate change-induced disasters.

She said the situation would not stabilise unless the climate stress was addressed. She said the resilience was also a race against time, citing the seriousness of the situation caused by climate change in form of artificial lakes and flood-caused destruction.