The climate moment

This refers to the editorial, ‘The climate moment’ (November 30). Over 160 countries have already given commitments on how much they will reduce carbon emissions by the year 2030. Pakistan, which is among the countries impacted by climate change, has sadly not committed anything. It is true that the pledges made by major industrial powers like China and the US, on reducing carbon emissions, furnish no guarantees with regard to meeting climate targets. Such verbal deals have no legal binding. The need of the hour is to make them mandatory and legally binding for all the countries in the world.
In the Paris conference the world has an opportunity to protect its future and if it does not seize this moment, our future generations are bound to suffer unprecedented disasters and hostile living conditions. The world may turn into an inhospitable place for life. It is hoped that the climate conference will lead to a historic agreement that will be final and binding on all nations.
Syed Iqbal Ahmad
Karachi