Overview: International Conference “Climate Resilient” Pakistan 2023

By
Iqra Riaz Ud Din
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188

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Pakistan have cooperated in arranging an international conference. The conference is titled ‘International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan 2023.’

The main agenda behind the conference was dialogue and cooperation on the climate issues of Pakistan, especially on the floods of 2022. The forum has brought together the international community to pledge support for the flood-affected population.

The conference was attended by policy analysts, bureaucrats, government officials, civil society, and private organizations.

According to the UN, Pakistan experienced horrific floods in 2022 that left 15,000 people dead and approximately 8 million displaced.

Moreover, the super floods have destroyed highways, bridges, and agricultural lands. This has also landed 9 million people in poverty. The total damage accounts for more than $30 billion.

Similarly, large areas of southern Sindh and southwestern Baluchistan remain underwater, while 5 million people live around contaminated and stagnated water.

According to the UN, there is a fear of a public health crisis and higher food prices due to the displacement of 33 million people. Additionally, inflation has already risen.

Pakistan is currently facing a significant challenge in reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts. However, various international organizations such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Union, and United Nations (UN) have offered financial aid. Despite this support, Pakistan requires additional assistance.

At the conference, delegations announced their commitment and solidarity, with the international community pledging to provide $9 billion to alleviate the impact of the floods. The world community has expressed support for efforts toward resilience, recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.

The conference has strategized the action plan for Pakistan’s resilience recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. According to the framework, Pakistan will achieve resilience recovery by implementing the following elements.

A developed and agreed recovery plan has been designed by the UNDP. That will work on two main objectives first one is focused on (4RF) Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Framework. Secondly, to ensure international financial support for long-term climate resilience in Pakistan.

By keeping the 4RG framework, the recovery interventions will be designed and finalized for the implementation phase.

There are four strategic recovery objectives:

SRO1: This calls for enhanced governance and the capabilities of state institutions to recover and restore the lives and livelihood of vulnerable people.

SRO2 is designed to restore livelihoods and economic opportunities for the affected people.

SRO3, to endure the inclusivity and participation of all, i.e., state institutions, social welfare organizations, and affected people.

SRO4 is to recover, restore and improve the essential services and physical infrastructure sustainably.

The recovery process includes immediate, short-term, and long-term plans. The main areas include agriculture, livelihood, and accommodation (housing).

UNDP would provide $US 16.6 of aid for short-term (1 year), medium-term (3 years), and long-term (7 years) reconstruction policy pursuits and implementation.

When Pakistan converts its immediate recovery into long-term reconstruction, the priorities include financial resources to implement components of 4RF. That would consist of urgent social expenditures to prevent crisis: health, weather impacts, and recovering livelihoods.

Moreover, a long-term resilience framework is needed to increase the capacity building of emergency institutions. For expected future disasters as well. The promotion of inclusivity is essential to recognize the role of national and provincial stakeholders. To support all the segments of society.

There is a need to develop a sound financial strategy. Based on the partnership of public-private actors for development. For project preparation, a facility would be established with the help of UNDP within the Ministry of Finance, Pakistan. This facility would dedicate funds for the professional development of consultants. That is selected from the 4RF framework and private-public partnership.

 

Effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms will be put in place to ensure transparency in the allocation and spending of funds, as well as regular communication on the progress of recovery efforts.

Furthermore, an International Partner’s Support Group will be established under the management of Pakistan, with the goal of developing, implementing, and evaluating concrete plans and projects that secure financial support from international communities and other agencies in the coming years.

This group will be called “International Partner’s Support Group for Pakistan’s Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction.”

During the conference, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif acknowledged the critical role played by the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in past crises, such as the Afghan refugee crisis, terrorism, and the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan. However, he emphasized the need for strong support from UN agencies and the international community in the current flood situation.

The conference demonstrated not only solidarity but also a sense of justice in the world’s response to support Pakistan in this crisis. Resilience is essential in the face of this devastating humanitarian crisis.

Prime Minister Sharif outlined three policy pursuits: heavy investments in the rebuilding and reconstruction of infrastructure, restructuring of the agricultural sector, and measures to combat corruption in the financial industry, as well as resilience in climate action.

Furthermore, the global financial system should re-evaluate its policies towards middle-income countries regarding debt relief and economic concessions. Sustainable recovery and resilience can only be achieved when these countries provide financial support.

Prime Minister Sharif has appealed to global actors and multilateral platforms to develop such policies. He also emphasized that Pakistan requires a total of $16.3 billion for recovery and reconstruction efforts.

Developing nations are particularly vulnerable to the effects of global warming and changing weather patterns. The ongoing increase in temperature is having a detrimental effect on the agriculture sector in countries like Pakistan, as well as other related industries. It is crucial for the international community to take action to address these issues.

The calamity Pakistan is endured is the result of climate change. Pakistan contributes less than one percent to global greenhouse gas emissions.

On this issue, the UN secretary added, “No country deserves to endure what happened to Pakistan,” Guterres told the conference earlier in the day. “We must match the heroic response of the people of Pakistan with our efforts and massive investments to strengthen their communities for the future,” he said.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif attended it in person. On the other world leaders, French President Emmanuel Macron and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took part virtually.

“Today’s meeting is an attempt to give my people another chance at getting back on their feet,” Sharif said. “We are racing against time” to help the victims amid a harsh winter, and in the worst-affected areas where schools and health systems have collapsed, he added.

The conference was attended by 44 countries. The United States has announced $100 million, and Saudi Arabia had pledged $1 billion. Germany has announced $88 million, China $100 million, and Japan $77 million.

Islamic Development Bank (IDP), at $4.2 billion; the World Bank (WB), at $2 billion; the Asian Development Bank (ADB), at $1.5 billion and European Union (EU) pledged $93 million.

Pakistani Deputy Foreign Minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, said that the world community had shown generosity. With this pledge, Pakistan has met half of its needs, estimated at $16.3 billion.

She added, “Taken as a whole, these commitments total more than $9 billion and from what we know so far, these are all additional commitments from what was already given in terms of humanitarian assistance, etc., from both bilateral and multilateral partners.”

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that one of the priorities would be to build resilient infrastructure for future safety.

The mechanism for responsibility and transparency has also been added here. The donor would look out for constructive results. The head of the UNDP, Achim Steiner, said “There is no free money. And everybody who pledged their contributions today will come with certain expectations,” Steiner said in an interview.

While the needs are urgent now, Pakistan’s recovery and resilience projects should be built to last for this era increasingly marked and threatened by climate change.” He is the main organizer of this conference. He further stressed that implementation must be made in an unbureaucratic manner and must be well-planned.