ISLAMABAD – In a concerted effort to address the urgent and escalating challenges posed by climate change during COP-28, National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination held several events prior to COP-28.
This initiative served as a crucial platform for engaging with national and international stakeholders, including government bodies, development partners, international community stakeholders, UN agencies, NGOs, civil society, private sector, and academia in order to strengthen climate resilience agenda of Pakistan.
Pakistan, being on fifth place in the list of countries most vulnerable to climate change, compelled the world to adopt the ‘Loss and Damage’ fund in last year’s COP27 but that was not of much use as the fund was lost to global neglect and some glitches in its implementation. For Pakistan, the COP28 will be a chance to reinforce its stance to the world that having a minimal carbon footprint, Pakistan is unfortunately on the front line of climate change susceptibility and the expansion of the donor pool still requires developed countries to take the lead.
As the host country for COP-28, the United Arab Emirates has outlined a comprehensive agenda to make this conference a pivotal moment in the global fight against climate change. For COP28, NDRMF has emphasized the need for collective negotiations, awareness, accountability, and action to address the unprecedented challenges facing humanity, the planet, and biodiversity.
Federal Minister for Climate Change & Environmental Coordination Ahmad Irfan Aslam said that such pre-COP events refine our collective negotiating positions. He stressed that our mission is to mainstream climate change in the economically and socially vulnerable sectors of the economy and to steer Pakistan towards climate resilient development.
He highlighted the commitments made under the Paris Agreement and initiatives undertaken to deal with the impacts of climate change but also stressed on the fact that a lot is still needed to be done.
He further said, “Climate action is not a choice; it’s our shared responsibility and a priority. Together, we can turn the tide of climate change and build a sustainable legacy for generations to come.”
Bilal Anwar, CEO NDRMF, said that in the face of climate challenges, resilience becomes our greatest asset. At NDRMF, we believe in fostering a world where every community is equipped to withstand the impacts of climate change, creating a future of strength and sustainability. Unless it is negotiated proactively, all our efforts will be wasted. He further highlighted that COP-28 conference would focus five key agendas mainly Loss and Damage Fund architecture and its operationalization, first Global Stock Take (GST) report, mitigation work program, global goal on adaptation and climate finance.
Key areas of focus in the COP28 agenda include Loss and Damage, Climate Finance, and the Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP). Recognizing Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate change, the dialogue aimed to gather input from diverse stakeholders to frame Pakistan’s agenda effectively.
