Islamabad: Canadian High Commissioner Leslie Scanlon shared solutions on how we can address the impacts of climate change and work together for a better future. “There seems to be a new climate crisis all the time. Climate finance is critical to increasing community resilience to future shocks. Carbon pricing is a viable solution for transitioning to a low-carbon economy,” said Leslie.
The chief guest, Senator Sherry Rehman, graced the event with her presence. Addressing the audience about the growing carbon footprint, she said, “Adaptation costs four times more than conventional development initiatives.” She emphasized that resilience strategies cannot be one-size-fits-all; they must be adapted to the unique dynamics of Pakistan. This requires innovative solutions that effectively address our specific challenges. “Pakistan’s fossil fuel transition is possible, we have the capacity to achieve it,” she affirmed. She also shed light on the ongoing fight against plastics and expressed skepticism that recycling is an effective solution, considering it more of a myth.
Despite contributing less than 1% to global carbon emissions, Pakistan is disproportionately affected by climate change and ranks among the top 10 countries most affected by climate disasters. Recent examples include devastating floods in 2022 and an ongoing heat wave with temperatures reaching 53 degrees Celsius. These impacts are largely due to the industrial activities of first world countries, leaving Pakistan bearing the brunt of climate change.
Islamic Relief in collaboration with the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) organized an event titled “Road to Climate Resilient Pakistan: Reducing Carbon Footprints”. The objective of the event was to identify and leverage climate finance opportunities to build a more climate resilient Pakistan.
The Chief Guest for the occasion was Senator Sherry Rehman and the Guest of Honor was Leslie Scanlon, Canadian High Commissioner. Other notable participants included Asif Sherazi – Director Islamic Relief Pakistan, Bilal Anwar – Director General NDRMF, Yong Ye – Director ADB Pakistan and Ahmed Kamal, Chairman Federal Flood Commissioner. The event was also well attended by representatives of national and international organizations, media, academia, think tanks and development experts.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Asif Sherazi, Director of Islamic Relief, welcomed the guests and emphasized the urgent need to reduce the carbon footprint. “Pakistan needs cross-sectoral cohesion and planning and above all the support of the Global North in new types of projects in agriculture, energy storage, use of fossil fuels, green hydrogen, green buildings and electric mobility. Projects that will help us achieve our goals, grow our economy and prosper, He called for increased resilience, reduced vulnerability, enhanced adaptive capacity and a unified call for national and global actors to share responsibility in addressing this critical issue.
Mr. Yong Ye, Director, Asian Development Bank Pakistan, emphasized that while climate change presents challenges, it also presents opportunities for innovation and prosperity for Pakistan. “The carbon market is a new frontier for Pakistan where quality projects will compete for green finance. Resilience is a key pillar and innovative approaches are strongly encouraged.”
The event included an articulate panel discussion on Pakistan’s growing carbon footprint and strategies to mitigate its impact. The panel was moderated by Ms. Sidra Iqbal, a renowned media personality. The panel consisted of seasoned and diverse representatives of international humanitarian organizations, UN agencies, civil society, thought leaders and state representatives. They proposed solutions to the complex impacts of the carbon footprint and highlighted the fundamental pillars needed to effectively address these issues.
Van Nyugen, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Pakistan, said that “Government leadership and strong policies are critical to securing climate finance. Voices need to be much louder to secure funding. The government needs to make significant efforts both at the national level and at the household level.
Ahmed Kamal, the Federal Commissioner for Floods, highlighted the funding gap, stating that “While we have strong preparedness strategies in place, we lack the necessary funding to implement them effectively.”
Dr. Highlighting the serious impact of climate change disasters on children, UNICEF Pakistan Deputy Representative Inoussa Kabore said: “Globally, one billion children are at risk of survival due to inadequate measures taken to mitigate the effects of climate change. a critical issue that needs to be addressed urgently.”
NDRMF Director General, Mr. Bilal Anwer, in his closing remarks said, “Our mission is to transform and make Pakistan resilient using all available tools to achieve this goal. He mentioned that they are actively working on a policy that includes a solution for carbon markets and emphasized a proactive approach to solving climate problems.
