Baku: Pakistan has committed to safeguarding its youth from the adverse effects of climate change, as announced during the COP 29 Summit in Baku, Azerbaijan. At an event with UNICEF, the Government of Pakistan, alongside provincial governments from Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, affirmed their dedication to protecting the rights and interests of children and young people amid escalating climate challenges.

According to United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, leaders from Pakistan endorsed the Declaration on Children, Youth, and Climate Action, marking a pivotal move to ensure the safety of 112 million children in the country who are at risk from climate-related catastrophes and displacement. The commitment includes integrating child rights into Pakistan’s climate policies, notably the forthcoming Nationally Determined Contributions 3.0, which will be highlighted at COP30 in Brazil next year.

Romina Khurshid, the Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Climate Change, emphasized the importance of this integration in Pakistan’s climate strategy upon signing the declaration. The nation’s NDC 3.0, scheduled for submission in March 2025, aims to enhance the child-sensitive elements of its earlier version submitted in 2021.

Chief Minister of Sindh Province, Murad Ali Shah, reiterated the need for educational reforms that prepare the youth for a climate-affected world and a green economy. The Government of Pakistan and UNICEF highlighted the severe impact of climate change on the country’s younger population, attributing increased health and educational risks to rising emissions, frequent floods, and worsening heatwaves.

Faisal Amin Khan, Team Lead Climate Change for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, confirmed the government’s resolve to implement the Declaration and invest in education and skills for young Pakistanis. UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Kitty van der Heijden urged for a significant rise in child-responsive climate finance, noting that only a small fraction of global climate funds currently cater to the specific needs of children.

At COP 29, UNICEF appealed to global leaders to acknowledge the disproportionate climate impact on children and to include their voices in policymaking, advocating for a substantial increase in climate finance directed towards protecting children’s health and well-being.