Berlin, 19 July 2022 (TDI): Pakistan participated in the Petersberg Dialogue on multilateral climate negotiations. Pakistan’s Climate Change Minister, Sherry Rehman was representing the country. She asked for a clear re-set of the global climate change agenda.

Petersberg Climate Dialogue lasted from 17 to 19 July in Berlin. Its aim was to strengthen trust in international climate negotiations as well as between states.

The major topic of discussion was climate protection agreements during the gathering of the government leaders from 40 nations.

It primarily focuses on the preparations for the COP27 World Climate Conference in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt on 7-18 November 2022.

Delegation of Pakistan in Petersberg Climate Dialogue

The country delegation was led by Sherry Rehman and included Dr. Saima; Director of the Ministry of Climate Change (MOCC), Asif Haider Shah; Secretary MOCC, Mujtaba; Senior Joint Secretary, and Sayyeda Hadika Jamshed; Climate Change Policy Specialist.

Taking the floor at the Ministerial Dialogue, Sherry Rehman asserted that Pakistan’s extreme vulnerability to accelerated climate-induced events has exposed the country to a slew of dangers.

She added, that the country is facing many threats ranging from unprecedented heat waves, forest fires, glacial lake outburst flood events, and impending water scarcity.

Also, torrential monsoon flooding, droughts to rising sea levels, all are included in the risks induced by climate change in Pakistan.

She claimed that as a result of all these changes, Pakistan has become the epicenter of a global climate emergency.

Damage to agricultural production, livelihoods, human health, and economic stability has resulted in irreversible effects. These effects include significant internal displacements and GDP losses that go as high as 9.1%, she added.

According to her, the Global South is currently seeking a reliable financial structure that would allow it to move resources beyond pledges and promises to achieve its objectives on the ground.

She even stated the fact that there have been no commitments for loss and damage compensation. It is concerning to a nation like Pakistan.

Pakistan emits less than 1% of Greenhouse Gases

In the same vein, she argued that Pakistan is currently the ground zero for climate catastrophe but emits less than 1% of global Greenhouse Gases (GHGs).

Countries like those are not only expected to fulfill their commitments on their own. But also make an unfinanced energy transition or pledge to net-zero goals without the means to implement such transformative shifts.

She further added that adaptation of finance now also needs to be front and center with an upsizing of the financial envelope for the COP27 agenda, in addition to mitigation, which is not a goal to be lost sight of.

Lastly, Sherry Rehman claimed that time is a crucial component upon which Pakistan bases its projections for the world. Also, the current rate of development and adherence to stated goals completely misses the mark at which the Earth can continue to support life.

Minister for Climate Change, concluded by saying that “if we miss the chance to mend the damaged climate system, we will have tragically failed our future and the survival of both our planet and the human race.”

Consequently, this problem needs to be addressed equitably. Or history will remember this as modernity’s broken promise.

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