#ClimateChange Crisis Need Integrated Global Approaches to Combat the Challenge

• #ClimateChange crisis need integrated global approaches respond to this challenge
• Club de Madrid (CdM), Aurat Foundation Hold Dialogue on Climate Change’s Impacts on Vulnerable Communities in #Pakistan
• Climate Change response should be holistic and human-centered
• Climate-triggered disasters have further widened the already existing inequalities and injustices
• Countries must make strong efforts to reduce carbon emissions

Islamabad: A very insightful international webinar “Dialogue on Climate Change’s Impacts on Vulnerable Communities in Pakistan’ was held in Islamabad (on December 15, 2022) wherein Pakistani government officials, parliamentarians, climate experts, CSOs and representatives shared their valuable thoughts, views, ideas, observations and policy perspectives  about the damages and losses caused by climate change-induced floods.

This virtual session was organized by Club de Madrid (CdM), in partnership with Aurat Foundation of Pakistan.

The virtual session was chaired by former president of Slovenia Danilo Turk, President of the Club de Madrid and speakers includes Maria Elena, Secretary General CdM, Naz Baloch, Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Climate Change, Shaista P. Malik, Member National Assembly, Prof. Dr. Kinzo Hiroki, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo, Mangla Sharma MPA Sindh, Naeem Mirza ED Aurat Foundation and Ali Imran, Senior Expert Club de Madrid.

The chair of the session President Danilo Turk said we need to ensure that no one is left behind all over the world. He stressed that climate change should be a priority at all times and that integrated global, national, regional, and local approaches should be adopted to respond to this challenge. Pakistan has always put forth its case very eloquently in UN meetings and has a number of ongoing projects regarding climate change.

He mentioned that the recent floods in Pakistan should be a brutal wake-up call for all to move forward and do something. He concluded by saying that the climate change response should be holistic and human-centered.

Naz Baloch said that Pakistan has adopted a national policy for climate change in 2021. She said that the region is witnessing major climate change events such as droughts, floods, and rains and there needs to be a better realization for the rest of the world around this issue.

She added that the Secretary-General UN in a recent COP meeting said that he feels their pain and suffering on his visit to Pakistan. She ended by saying that what comes in Pakistan does not stay in Pakistan and that today its us tomorrow it could be some other country so we need to prioritize this issue and other countries must make strong efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

Maria Elena Aguero, Secretary General Club de Madrid said that social inclusion should be at the heart of the climate change response. The voices of the most margalinsed should be heard and included in the policy interventions. She said that the climate-triggered disasters have further widened the already existing inequalities and injustices. No one should be left behind when it comes to state protections.

Prof. Dr. Kenzo gave a presentation on climate change’s impacts on water-related disasters in Asia and Pakistan and how to address the challenges. He said that globally 5.7 billion people have been affected by disasters from 1994-2013. He further added that the per capita disaster is 6 times higher for poor people than the rich people. He said that the poor suffer disproportionately in disasters and that 90% of people affected in the last decade due to disasters reside in Asia.

In his presentation, Dr. Kenzo said that better risk prevention should be integrated with efficient long-term planning. In the end, he said that there is a Japanese early warning free application called integrated flood analysis situation (IFAS) which we can use when preparing for flood situations. Shaista P. Malik MNA thanked Danilo for his compassionate comments on Pakistan’s flood situation at the beginning of the webinar.

In Pakistan, we have brought legislation on women’s issues on a range of different issues. She added that the government has several projects in the pipeline and is doing its work on the ground as well which is currently focusing on flood affectees. Makeshift schools have been put in place in flood-affected areas in Pakistan. And more than 2.6 million families have been given financial assistance by the government we can present to the affected people. She said that we will continue to work with Aurat Foundation to make more inclusive policies and lay the groundwork for our future generations of women in this country.

Mangla Sharma MPA said Pakistan has been facing climate change since the early 2000s.

Club de Madrid, in partnership with Aurat Foundation, is supporting inclusive implementation of the Agenda 2030 in Pakistan under the Shared Societies Project. The project is contributing to a Shared Society perspective for social inclusion approach to planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of the Agenda 2030 in Pakistan. The main objective of the project is to demonstrate that inclusion and participation of diverse social groups is key to effective implementation of SDGs in Pakistan.

In 2022, the country has already witnessed an immense increase in monsoon rains that have caused flash floods, resulting in loss of human and animal life, property and communication infrastructures. It is estimated that more than 250,000 km2 of land area has been submerged, affecting 33 million citizens and causing the displacement of more than 10 million who took shelter in temporary facilities or with relatives. More than 1,300 Pakistanis drowned in the waters.

By: M.A                                            Email: VOW2025@Gmail.com