TD WEB DESK
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, like other developing countries, is facing the challenge of adaption and resilience-building on the face of threats posed by climate change. Technology transfer could play a vital role to respond to this challenge and therefore, needs to be extensively discussed at COP-26. The parliamentarians and environmental experts shared this viewpoint during a pre-COP-26 consultative meeting with parliamentarians organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).
M. Ken, Ambassador, Asia-Pacific and South Asia COP-26 to the United Kingdom, while terming the level of engagement with parliamentarians quite inspiring, said that COP-26’s preparation is on top priority of UK government. He asserted that not meeting the target of Paris agreement will be catastrophic for the world’s economies, people, and societies.
“The consequences of Climate Change are being adversely felt in the climate vulnerable countries and the developing world including Pakistan,” Mr O’Flaherty said and added further that mitigation, adaptation, and building resilience is the way to reduce the effects felt by the world. Pakistan is a country that is showing genuine leadership regarding responding to Climate Change and setting the example for the rest of the region, he concluded.
Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director, SDPI, through a detailed presentation highlighted that the goal of Paris agreement 2015 which was to limit global warming to well below 2 and preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, has already been missed according to the IPCC report. Thus, the major points under negotiation are adaptation to build resilience against the adversaries of Climate Change and mitigation: through the phenomena like ‘building back better’, ‘green recovery’ to compensate for the damage already done.
He added further that the Technology Transfer is the third pillar of these negotiations as the process of adaptation and mitigation requires technologies. He added further that the developing countries does not have equal access to the technology required mitigate and adapt and build resilience against the impacts of Climate Change because of the high intellectual property rights.
Ms Munazza Hassan, Chairperson Parliamentary Standing Committee on Climate Change, remarked that as parliamentarians, it is a huge responsibility on us to sensitize the populations about the conventions that we as a signatory state. Senator Faisal Javed Khan, on the occasion said that Pakistan has achieved a lot regarding climate change adaptation. however, still it is long way to go to be better adapted and prepared. Ms Aliya Hamza was of view that we are proceeding with a vision for stopping Climate Change with our limited resources. Developed countries shall help countries like Pakistan in technology transfer for expediating its efforts, she added.
The parliamentarians including Senator Mushahid Hussain, Ms Rukhsan Naveed,Senator Dr Mehr Taj Roghani, Senator Dr Zarqa, Khurram Dastgir Khan, Ms Romina Khurshid Alam, Ms Shahida Rehmani, Syma Nadeem, Mr Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Syed Mustafa, Ali Pervaiz, Shaza Fatima, Syeda Noshin Iftikhar, Dr Nausheen Hamid,Shaista Pervaiz Malik,Ms Shams us Nisa also highlighted various aspect of the impacts of climate change in Pakistan and the need of global assistance to respond to the emerging challenges.