Pakistan needs to focus climate diplomacy respecting regional norms, values: Romina Khurshid Alam

ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (SABAH): Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Romina Khurshid Alam has said that Pakistan needs to focus on climate diplomacy respecting regional norms and values while spearheading global focus on enhanced climate finance for less developed vulnerable countries.

The Pre-COP29 Summit on “Pakistan’s Climate Resilience: Road to COP29” organised by the Pak-German Climate and Energy Partnership (PGCEP), in collaboration with the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI). This event brought together key stakeholders to discuss the nation’s climate challenges and strategies in light of upcoming negotiations at COP29.

Speaking at the event, the chief guest, Ms. Romina Khurshid Alam stressed the need for Pakistan to prioritize climate adaptation strategies that respect regional contexts and vulnerabilities. She affirmed Pakistan’s role as a vocal advocate for climate-vulnerable nations.

In his keynote address, Dr. Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director of SDPI, emphasized the urgency of climate action, noting that the withdrawal of the U.S. from the Paris Agreement commitments had weakened global climate agendas. He acknowledged the concerted efforts of the EU and China to maintain focus on climate issues despite setbacks. He said that controversy surrounding the Loss and Damage Fund prevails. Still, despite this, there is an opportunity to co-opt oil-producing states as part of the solution to address climate change and to mobilize finance for climate action. “Baku as COP29 host can contribute to carbon markets and carbon credits trading amid many daunting challenges like green washing. However, the COP29 presidency had streamlined many of those issues,” he said. Pakistan, he said is an active member of the international community that played lead role in operationalization of Loss and Damage Fund. “Pakistan has to remain an active representative of the 220 million resilient people who stood firm against adverse impacts of climate change,” he added.

Welcoming the summit participants, Wolfgang Hesse, Cluster Coordinator Energy & Climate Change, GIZ Pakistan highlighted Germany’s robust commitment to addressing climate and energy initiatives in Pakistan. The Pakistan-German Climate & Energy Partnership represents technical and financial cooperation over €500 million is meticulously designed to bolster Pakistan’s climate ambition Our financial cooperation is pivotal in facilitating a just energy transition, aligning with the goals of the Paris Agreement and Agenda 2030.

Dr. Shafqat Munir, Deputy Executive Director, SDPI voiced strong concerns over the limited support from developed countries towards a comprehensive Loss and Damage Fund, citing an alarming financial gap. Dr. Munir emphasized the urgent need to operationalize and adequately fund this initiative, advocating for fair contributions from wealthier nations to aid communities facing severe climate-induced hardships.

Head of Development Cooperation, Experts at the pre-COP29 summit highlighted the significant financial gaps in climate funding. Dr. Fahad Saeed from Climate Analytics pointed out that while the global target of mobilizing $100 billion in climate finance was reached in 2022, developed nations still fell short of their commitments. He urged for more robust private sector involvement in climate finance.

Sohail Malik, from the Climate Resourcing Coordination Center, highlighted Pakistan’s potential in green finance but stressed the need for better-defined climate finance frameworks. Ahsan Kamran of the Prime Minister’s Committee emphasized the importance of strengthening Article 6 compliance to enable effective emissions trading.

Dr. Bilal Anwar, CEO of NDRMF, pointed to the increasing complexity of climate finance definitions and the pressing need for effective implementation of the loss and damage fund to address the substantial impacts of climate change on communities.

During the discussions, Anam Zeb from the German Red Cross underscored the importance of distinguishing between response funding and adaptation funding, while Aisha Khan from CSCCC advocated for a holistic approach to the National Adaptation Plan, stressing the need for integrated ecosystem restoration.

Dr. Sebastian Paust, Head of Development Cooperation, German Embassy noted Germany’s significant climate finance contributions towards multilateral initiatives. It underscored the fact that Germany has delivered €6 billion towards the New Collective Quantified Goal, in addition to financial instruments to manage climate risk and unlock carbon finance. Recognising that resources alone are insufficient without the requisite skills and solutions, Germany’s bilateral development cooperation emphasises transferring knowledge, skills, and technology to truly enhance ambition and enable action. As COP29 approaches, the pre-COP29 summit underscored the critical need for a united global effort to address climate change, with Pakistan aiming to showcase its resilience and proactive strategies on the international stage.