Pakistan doesn’t want charity but climate justice: PM Shehbaz
Pakistan
Pakistan doesn’t want charity but climate justice, says PM Shehbaz
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday that many regions of the world are suffering from climate change and the recent floods in Pakistan have caused widespread destruction across the country, while Pakistan s share in carbon emissions is less than one percent but Pakistan does not want charity but climate justice.
Addressing a ceremony organized in Islamabad on Thursday to pay tributes to all the stakeholders including international partners for successful climate diplomacy at Sharm-al-Sheikh climate summit, he appreciated the role of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and other government departments that worked continuously for making the world believe that we are seeking climate justice, not charity.
Sharif said they also made the world realize that what has happened to Pakistan can happen with any other nation.
The Prime Minister expressed deep gratitude to all those countries that came to help Pakistan with cash and kind during recent devastating floods. The Prime Minister said the contribution of all the friendly countries was most valuable in this hour of need. He further said world must realize that Pakistan became the victim of something which has nothing to do with us as our share in Carbon emission is less than one percent.
He also lauded the role of the provincial governments and government institutions for their efforts for 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 as it had faced which it 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 destriyed 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.
