Climate aid

The apocalyptic floods of 2022 managed to finally wake up those that roam our power corridors to take steps to tackle the climate emergency. During the second Pakistan Climate Conference organized by the Overseas Chambers of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) this week, Caretaker Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar expressed that the country needs $340 billion by 2030 to deal with climate change and other related development challenges. The amount is 10 per cent of the country’s GDP. While it is true that Pakistan is responsible for only 1.0 per cent of global carbon emissions, if 2022 is anything to go by, the deleterious effects of climate change do not discriminate and punish all countries equally. The estimated amount is supposed to tackle infrastructural challenges and other environment-friendly development work that can help Pakistan withstand the effects of the ever-changing weather and climate patterns. But the problem is that Pakistan is an economically fractured country at present and does not have enough financial means to cover its climate funding. International IDEA’s Global State of Democracy report says that economic challenges in Pakistan that brought the country to the verge of default hampered its response to the 2022 floods. In such a scenario, it is quite a challenge for the government to get the funds needed for the reforms and measures required to keep the country safe from the effects of climate change. 

What countries like Pakistan are facing is essentially an apathetic Global North. The world’s rich nations are responsible for polluting the environment and making the earth completely inhabitable, but we have far too many examples to confirm that the developed world does not care about developing countries. People in the West and in rich nations are so divorced from the traumas and tragedies occurring in low-income countries that barely any voice is raised for the necessary climate funding. The Loss and Damage Fund that was the highlight of COP27 is still waiting for its contributors to make the pledged contributions. For rich nations, the developing countries are attractive only when they can get something out of them. The only investment that these countries are making in countries that are low polluters is through carbon credits (which allows countries to make up for the emissions through investments in climate-friendly projects in different parts of the world). Even at present, as the world sees a live genocide in Palestine, it has gone completely silent.

While Pakistan can again try to make a strong case for some funding at COP28 which is supposed to take place in the last week of this month, the country also has to think about shaking off its reliance on external factors and come up with a policy for sustainable living. It should make necessary lifestyle changes and make itself immune to the effects of climate change. Many countries have already set up several green and smart cities. Pakistan can draw inspiration from them and lead its own fight against climate change. There have to be awareness campaigns at a mass scale to convince people to shift to sustainable living and take charge of saving their country from the destructive effects of global warming.