British HC, Sherry discuss climate impacts

ISLAMABAD: British High Commissioner Christian Turner and his team on Thursday called on Federal Climate Change Minister Senator Sherry Rehman at the Ministry of Climate Change and discussed bilateral climate corporation with her.

Sherry said the climate stress is a pressing concern for Pakistan and it is high time it articulated several pressing climate issues into policy.

“We need innovative, bold and far-reaching solutions that cover not just investments in nature to curtail deforestation but also an infrastructure for energy transition, investment in renewable energy and resilient infrastructure whilst still humanizing the climate change conversation for the general population,” she said.

She said the engagement with the UK through a dedicated bilateral dialogue will support Pakistan in several areas. She said Pakistan needs, for instance, a 35% grant to meet the goal of a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030.

“We are not a big global polluter and contribute only 6% to GHG emissions, but we suffer a disproportionate impact of global pollution. So while we must take responsibility for our climate and take steps at home to mitigate effects, it is entirely understandable to expect support,” she said.

She said women suffer more from the impacts of climate stress as compared to men in developing countries and a policy which focuses on gender mainstreaming and adaptation efforts to the impacts of climate stress must be rolled out, along with policies that provide for sustainable waste management and water conservation.