Islamabad: The Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Climate Change, Romina Khurshid Alam, emphasized the urgent need for a robust plan to showcase Pakistan’s resilience-building initiatives at the upcoming COP29 climate summit. In the initial meeting of the Prime Minister’s Committee for COP29, she highlighted the critical areas of agriculture, water, energy, health, education, and gender, urging collaboration among federal and provincial departments to effectively present Pakistan’s efforts.

According to Press Information Department, the meeting convened on Monday focused on gearing up for the country’s active participation in the UN-led global climate summit, scheduled from November 11 to 22, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Alam stressed the importance of outlining Pakistan’s self-funded resilience measures and articulating the need for international financial and technical support to enhance the country’s capacity to manage climate risks.

She pointed out that the global community recognizes Pakistan as one of the nations most severely impacted by climate change, experiencing intensified floods, heatwaves, and shifting monsoon patterns. The coordinator argued for a greater emphasis on securing international aid to support vulnerable communities and sectors like agriculture and water management, especially through adaptation strategies.

Moreover, Alam mentioned that Pakistan would also communicate its proactive steps in reducing its carbon footprint at COP29. These include increasing renewable energy usage, promoting electric vehicles, expanding forest coverage, and implementing smart farming techniques, even as the country calls for enhanced international cooperation and fair climate finance distribution.

The committee plans to hold weekly meetings leading up to COP29, involving sector experts and representatives from relevant ministries and organizations to refine Pakistan’s presentation and proposals for the summit.