| The UN Chief has said that Pakistan is responsible for less than 1% of greenhouse gas emissions, but its people are 15 times more likely to die from climate related disasters than people elsewhere.
This was brought to light in 2022, when one third of the nation was submerged in deadly floods. CNN’s Becky Anderson spoke with Pakistan’s interim Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar in Dubai to discuss how last year’s flooding exposed the country’s vulnerabilities.  On the impact of the recent climate catastrophes in Pakistan: The reality check was there. And we knew at that moment that climate change is no more a fashionable conversation point. It has hit us at home. And it has hit us hard. At the same time, we did realise that we are not the one who are primarily responsible for bringing this climate disaster. And then I think the sense of resilience was also there. On what success or failure will look like in Dubai when it comes to loss and damage: I think, first of all that, the success would be if we can make everyone realize that the differential part of this funding, that it should not be linked with the development funds with multilateral entities. Rather it should, the climate financing should be treated on merit and it should be additional, and the contributions should come in tangible in real terms. On who should provide climate financing: Everyone knows who have been contributors in the last one century. So it is more of a question of an honest conversation rather than passing judgments on countries and economies. I think if a sense of responsibility comes from wealthy nations themselves, that would be more welcome. On whether climate financing should be operationalized by the United Nations or by the multilateral banks: If we wait for the framework of the United Nations, I think it will take years and years and years. So it can be phased and it can morph later on to the UN agencies. But initially, I think so, if it is committed and it is operationalized even under Fund or World Bank, multilateral, anyone, its initiation is more important than rather than talking about the framework. On the conversations that that Pakistan is having with another country at this point that will provide a partnership opportunity: First agreement on loss and damage fund was probably the initiation of honest conversation. So that financing in specific projects are focused on transforming our coal based plants to renewable energy would be sort of areas which would attract interest in countries here in GCC, maybe UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, or others, and the settled economies and democracies on the western hemisphere. So it’s an opportunity for all of them and for all of us. |
