Islamabad, October 09, 2023 (PPI-OT): The Caretaker Planning Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives, Muhammad Sami Saeed called for coordinated and collective global efforts to counter the climate crisis. The government, civil society and international partners must join hands to tackle climate crisis through a collective and coordinated efforts to combat the crisis, said Muhammad Sami Saeed while speaking at the Seminar on National Resilience Day organized by the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) on Monday.

Last year, Pakistan faced an unprecedented devastation due to torrential rains and flooding in most parts of the country, affected 33 million people and economic losses worth $30 billion as a result the government prepared the 4RF framework. The 4FR document suggested effective coordination and participation arrangement among the federal and provincial governments, development partners, donors, international and national NGOs, and academic and private sectors.

Pakistan has been witnessing a challenging impacts of climate change – ranging from devastating floods to prolonged droughts, from heatwaves to melting glaciers. These changes pose immense threats to our environment, economy, and the well-being of our people, remarked the Minister, while urging the stakeholders to play their constructive role to combat the crisis. In October 2022, the Post-Damage Needs Assessment (PDNA) – conducted jointly by the Government of Pakistan and its international development partners, including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Union, and UN relief agencies – had estimated the aggregate cost of the calamity at $30 billion.

Pakistan’s carbon emission is less than 1% however, it is among the countries that are most vulnerable to the climatic disasters. Pakistan pleaded this case before the COP27 summit held in Egypt last year. In January 2023, Pakistan successfully managed to secure pledges of $10billion from the donor which was committed during the International Conference on ‘Climate Resilient Pakistan’ jointly hosted by Pakistan and the UN in Geneva.

Recognizing the role of nature in climate adaptation and mitigation, the planning minister, said that Pakistan launched robust natural capital restoration efforts, including ambitious tree plantation programs amid only to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions but also to restore ecosystems and enhance livelihood opportunities for the vulnerable, including women and youth. The planning minister further added that the investments in climate research, technology and innovation are vital for identifying and implementing effective solutions.

By fostering partnerships and sharing knowledge, we can accelerate progress towards climate resilience and sustainable development, remarked the Minister, while highlighting the key initiatives taken by the government to combat the climate crisis It is noted that various development projects are being executed for the flood-affected areas under the 4RF framework as the Central Development Working Party CDWP approved climate resilient projects. In this regard a dashboard will be launched at the Planning Ministry to ensure the monitoring and evaluation of the projects.

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