BUENOS AIRES, Argentina: Pakistan’s Ambassador to Argentina Dr. Muhammad Khalid Ejaz has said that G-20 Nations, emitting 80% of Climate Destroying Emissions, have a “Moral Responsibility” to Help Countries who are on the front lines of Climate Emergency.
His remarks came in reference to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP-27) set to be held in Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh City from November 7-18, 2022.
Ambassador Khalid Ejaz said that Pakistan is among the top 10 Countries most impacted by Climate Change – triggering 90% of natural disasters over the past two decades. He said that Pakistan is on the front lines of the adverse impacts of Climate Change.
In 2022, Pakistan has grappled with extreme heat, with 3–5-degree Celsius higher temperatures than the average. This led to melting of glaciers, cloud bursts and torrential rains, three to five times more than the 30-year average rainfall.
Resultantly, Pakistan faced floods of epic proportions, which is the most dreadful manifestation of climate-induced disasters.
The widespread damages to life, livelihoods, social and physical infrastructures are colossal. As many as 33 million people are affected in Pakistan due to recent floods. Over 1,700 people including four hundred children, have lost their lives. About 7.9 million people have been displaced due to inundation and over one million live in temporary relief camps.
The floods have imperiled food security of 14.6 million people while pushing additional five percent (15.4 million) people into poverty. Over 2.11 million houses have been partially or totally damaged. Likewise, 13,000 kilometers of national highways, railway tracks and 435 bridges have been swept away by the rains & floods. There has been damage to 22,189 Public schools and educational institutions.
The envoy said that the Climate Change is one of the defining issues of our times. No one is immune from its impacts and no country can address it alone. Though the scale of adverse impacts of climate change varies from region to region, the developing countries are particularly the worst affected.
There is an urgent need for enhanced global climate action to mitigate the negative impacts of Climate Change, especially the industrialized Countries must fulfil their climate finance commitments, he said.
Ambassador Khalid Ejaz said that consideration should be given to the establishment of a financing facility for ‘Loss and damage’ to compensate developing countries most severely impacted by Climate Change.
