Pakistan will need $348bn for climate adaptation: Sherry

Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman has said that Pakistan will need $348bn for climate adaptation, and for initiating deep de-carbonization until 2030 from climate shocks experienced each year.

She was addressing a session titled ‘How to avert, minimize, and address Loss and Damage to infrastructure’ in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt during COP27 where she highlighted the lack of early warning systems that safeguard infrastructure when the climate goes rogue, as it did in Pakistan during the 2022 floods. She said that we are clear that we must prioritize adaptation in Pakistan, as much as we are focused on nature-based solutions for mitigation.

The Minister said that Pakistan is engaged at all multilateral forums to find common ground that helps create structural reform within the international climate regime. She said Pakistan is aggressively pursuing reforestation through planting 3 billion trees in the north and south of the country.

Minister Rehman met with the Delegation of U.S. Senators led by Senator Ben Cardin at the Pakistan Pavilion. Senator Mushahid Hussain and Manzoor Ahmed Kakar were also present to welcome the delegation. During the meeting, Senator Cardin expressed his condolences and solidarity to the Minister over the loss of precious lives and damage caused by the recent catastrophic floods. He also assured possible assistance for the rehabilitation of flood-affected population.

The Minister also met with the CEO of Save the Children International, Inger Ashing, and discussed the plight of children and their heightened vulnerability for lack of healthcare, nutrition, and disrupted schooling after the flood.

Speaking on the occasion, Inger Ashing said that Save the Children will provide rehabilitation support for the flood-affected children and assist in restoring the provision of schooling.