Pakistan needs massive financial support to overcome flood crisis: UN chief

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Saturday that the world needs to focus on hotspots of climate change and prepare countries for the next disaster.

In a press conference, he stressed dire need for pouring “huge investment".

"This is why I am asking for a strong increase in financing for adaptive and resilient infrastructure.”

Referring to devastating floods in the country, he said that Pakistan needed massive financial support to overcome the ongoing crisis.

“This is not a matter of generosity, it is a matter of justice,” Guterres said while stating that Pakistan’s share in global emission of greenhouse gases remained negligible.

He underlined that the international community should recognise some basic facts. Firstly, humanity has been way too harsh on nature and nature strikes back, he said. Moreover, he cited that emissions of greenhouse gases had accelerated climate change all over the world.

“We need to stop the madness with which we are treating nature,” he said. “According to the scientific community, we need to reduce emissions by 45% by 2030.”

Highlighting that people are already living in a world where climate change is acting in a devastating way, he underscored the need for building resilient communities.

“We are yet to talk about damages but I promise that we will create conditions for serious discussions on loss and damages,” he said. “It is difficult not to feel deeply moved when we have the detailed description of tragedy, loss of lives and loss of property.”

“What we are doing in Pakistan is a drop in the ocean of what is needed and we are perfectly aware of our capacity and resources,” Guterres said. “”We are in total solidarity with Pakistani people to face their future.”

Record monsoon rains and glacier melt in northern mountains have triggered floods that have swept away houses, roads, railway tracks, bridges, livestock, and crops, and killed more than 1,391 people. As per the government, the lives of nearly 33 million people have been disrupted.

The UN chief arrived in Pakistan earlier on Friday to express solidarity with the government and people during the flood devastation caused by the floods.

The secretary-general will travel to areas most impacted by the climate catastrophe, stated a curtain raiser statement released by the Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday.