COP 27: Pakistan introduces Loss & Damage agenda

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COP27: Sherry Rehman introduces Loss and Damage agenda
COP27: Sherry Rehman introduces Loss and Damage agenda

Sharm El Sheikh, 17 November 2022 (TDI): Federal Minister for Climate Change of Pakistan, Sherry Rehman introduced the Loss and Damage agenda at COP27.

The event ‘Loss and Damage: From Intention to Action’ was organized by the Government of Pakistan at the United Nations UNFCCC Pavilion.

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The event was conducted with high-level panelists including Saber Chowdhry, Head of Bangladesh Parliamentary Delegation to COP27, and Milagros De Camps, Vice Minister of Climate and Natural Resources of the Dominican Republic.

Additionally, Executive Secretary UNFCCC, Simon Stiell, and Yannick Glemarec, Executive Director of Green Climate Fund were also present.

The Minister of Climate Change asks for fast implementation of monetary commitments on loss and damage due to climate changes “to move faster than the speed of the glaciers melting in Pakistan.”

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In this vein, she said, “By the time the funds come to us, our climate needs to change faster than the pace of funds released.”

“Financial pipelines must be created to facilitate the swift transfer of funds to countries in the Global South that are reeling from climate shocks.” Sherry Rehman continued.

While talking about the Climate crisis in Pakistan, the Minister added, “Pakistan’s economic system has sustained a huge exogenous shock.

We are not big emitters but rather quite the opposite. We need climate resilience funds that can be accessed with speed and scale.”

She concluded by emphasizing the importance of COP27, “We seek a New Green Deal from this Conference of Parties in Egypt. As G77, bringing loss and damage on the agenda is a huge victory.”

It is pertinent to mention here that the panelists extended their support for this initiative taken by Pakistan.

Loss and damage agenda
Minister of Climate Change Pakistan, Sherry Rehman in conversation with Saber Chowdhry, Head of Bangladesh Parliamentary Delegation to COP27.

Minister of Climate of Norway, Espen Barth Eide reiterated the significance of loss and damage by saying that “We are seeing the same flood situation as Pakistan in Europe.

This is coming to haunt us all, and we need to understand that there is an issue called Loss and Damage.” Simon Stiell concluded the session by urging the parties to converge constructively to place meaningful outcomes on the table.