Two-day global moot on climate change kicks off in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: An international climate change conference kicked off at the Jinnah Convention Centre here on Thursday, bringing together global experts, policymakers and climate advocates to discuss the pressing challenges and their possible solutions.

The inaugural session of the Dawn Media Breathe Pakistan International Climate Change Conference set the stage for a crucial two-day dialogue, highlighting the urgent need for collaborative action across sectors. Hameed Haroon, CEO of Dawn Media Group, opened the conference by emphasizing the importance of amplifying the climate discourse through collective efforts between policymakers, NGOs, and the private sector.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal echoed this sentiment, pointing out that climate change is not a distant threat but a lived reality in Pakistan, with the country bearing the brunt of climate impacts, including catastrophic floods and glacial melts.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also addressed the conference, highlighting his province’s significant contributions to forest conservation. He noted that KP has surpassed international standards for forest coverage, serving as a major carbon sink, and credited Imran Khan’s climate policies for driving these achievements.

The need for urgent financial support was a recurring theme, with international leaders like UN Resident Coordinator Mohamed Yahya and World Bank’s Valerie Hickey calling for immediate action in securing climate finance.

Yahya warned of the world’s trajectory toward a “highway to climate hell,” while Hickey highlighted the gap in funding, especially for adaptation efforts in the Global South, where countries like Pakistan face the harshest consequences despite contributing the least to global emissions.

A key focus of the discussions was climate justice, with Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and UNDP’s Samuel Rizk stressing the need for equitable climate action. Justice Shah warned of the impending risks to Pakistan’s water security due to rapid glacier melt, while Rizk highlighted Pakistan’s proactive climate diplomacy as a model for other nations.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb underscored the economic challenges posed by climate change, pointing out the need for streamlined access to climate funds to support adaptation efforts in Pakistan and other vulnerable nations.

The conference also delved into the future of Pakistan’s climate trajectory, with experts forecasting rising temperatures, public health risks, and agricultural challenges by 2050.

Senator Sherry Rehman called for improved water management strategies and a more aggressive approach to climate policy, stressing the need for both local and global accountability.

The South Asian Symposium provided a platform for climate activists and experts from the region to discuss the urgent issues of glacial melt and air pollution.

Discussions centered around the dire consequences of shrinking glaciers in the Himalayas and the increasing health risks posed by air pollution across South Asia. Panelists, including Kanak Mani Dixit, Dechen Tsering, and Sonam Wangchuk, called for regional collaboration and stronger international support to address these interconnected crises.